Through the Looking Glass
by athenastar17
Summary: SephXCloud-Cloud feels no meaning to life after his adventures; in an alternate universe where Cloud was the insane one, the hero Sephiroth feels the same. One accidentally crosses into the other world...will love save them, or drive them to insanity?
1. Dovetailing

Disclaimer: I don't own Alice in Wonderland or FFVII or related characters or indica…etc. This fanfic contains shounen-ai, boy love, yaoi, etc…don't like it, don't read it!

* * *

_Alice stepped through the looking-glass and suddenly, she entered a world where nothing was right. Everything was upside-down and frontside-back and wrongside-right and everything she thought she knew was topsy-turvy and off-kilter and out-of-whack. She chased after the white-haired, green-eyed rabbit desperately, though she knew not why. Very suddenly, the yellow-haired heroine became a criminal charged with the most terrible of crimes. White rabbit, where have you gone? Where have I fallen? Why do I continue to chase after you when I know we cannot meet?_

**Chapter I : Dovetailing**

He scanned the white place carefully, with tension in his gloved fingers and difficulty in his cloudy breath. They were rebuilding. In a place where such a tragedy had descended upon him and upon the residents, they were rebuilding. He almost wondered how they dared to lift up the new wooden planks and tear down the charcoal cinders that were the only graves left after that day. He wondered how people could still point at him from a distance and whisper "hero" after the pain that had driven him very nearly off the deep end so few years ago. Here…in this village, he stood and watched as they moved on and continued their lives.

"Don't look so down," his raven-haired companion nudged him. "See? Everyone's getting back together. Just one person left town for one day, and it saved his life. Now he's got friends and family from all over coming to rebuild the place. They're gonna make it liveable again. Like it used to be."

"Not like it used to be," the sullen ex-SOLDIER muttered.

His sidekick stiffened for a moment. "Well…maybe not." He shook his head as the "hero" drifted forward through the powder cloud of snow at the pace of a wounded stag; a beautiful, proud creature cut down to the stance of waiting prey. The more cheerful of the two jogged closer and dipped his head to look the other in the eyes. "Hey…why did you want to come here anyway? You pretty much knew it would be like this, right? So…what's up?"

The fair-haired hero shook his head. A cloud, thicker than the others coating the sky, passed in front of the dim sun and cast a shadow over them. "This was the last place."

"The last place?"

Hesitation… "Even you had your reservations when we first met," he explained. "But he…I felt…truly human then." Struggling with words… "But…Jenova…" He shook his head. "Was there nothing I could do…? Was there no way I could have saved him…?"

"Well, he was…kinda trying to kill you…" his sidekick reminded him. "And…everyone else on the planet, by the way."

"I know…."

"You had to kill him. He wasn't the same person."

"I know."

"Nothing here is going to change anything. There isn't anything here but…."

"I know—"

"Then why are we here? What are you looking for?"

"I don't know!" the hero hissed back at him, an intensity coming to his oceanic eyes as he spun around. "I don't know…what I'm looking for." His tone calmed a bit, but the intensity remained. "I'll know…when I find it."

"That's really vague…" the brunette sighed. A look of concern came to his boyish eyes. "What if you never find it?"

"Then I'll be searching until the day I die," the hero resolved, quickening his pace towards the ShinRa mansion.

The cheery sidekick sighed again. "Well," he said to himself, "You've done it again, Zack Fair. Sephie's not speaking to you, once again."

The weather only worsened. The sky filled quickly with billowing, dark-grey clouds. But it didn't rain. It ached with the weight of the water, but it refused to shed any tears. They would be cold, frozen tears of ice and snow in this season, anyway.

Zack sat down on a few of the crates brought in for the construction and leaned his head back on a taller one, looking up at the looming clouds—or cloud, rather…just one seemed to coat the entirety of the heavens. "Huh…" he muttered, "It's funny. I feel like I've stared up at clouds like this before." He blinked a few times, letting his breath out. "But it was different then. There was light. And…I kinda felt like I had wings."

_Or maybe just one_, he thought, remembering his party leader as well as some old friends. _That sounds more likely._

A few more minutes passed and a train of thought started to run away with him in his mind. "I wonder," he said, talking to himself—an act that was less embarrassing to him than to other people—"What would have happened if Sephiroth had gone nuts instead of Cloud?" He laughed at himself. "No, really, though! I mean, what if there's an alternate universe somewhere out there where Sephiroth is the bad guy and Cloud is the hero? I mean…Sephiroth strikes me as more of the bad guy type, anyways…and he looked like he was gonna lose it when he started banging around those pods in the reactor…" Zack shrugged. "Some people might've lived. Like that…aw, whats-her-name…Tifa! She could have lived. Or maybe Barrett might've lived. Then again, maybe somebody else could've died. Hell, _I_ could've died." Shudder. "Yikes…better not think about _that_. Anyway, Cloud's one thing, but _Sephiroth_? No way. I'd hate to be looking down at…"

* * *

…_At the point of _his_ blade_, Vincent thought to himself, looking up at the blanket of cold light over the sky. Cloud was definitely not someone he would want to meet in combat. Maybe years ago, but not now. Meeting Cloud's sword without a cushion of sanity would be absolute suicide, especially now that he'd proved himself against Sephiroth—going, what—three times?

_Speaking of suicide…._ After listening to Cloud spill his guts out for the past few days, Vincent wasn't entirely sure he trusted the once-hero with his own life. Vincent was ready to put his life in Cloud's hands, but he didn't trust the kid to protect himself. He rose from his seat slowly. _No…Cloud isn't gone enough to truly attempt…maybe just enough not to watch his HP, though. I suppose I should go keep an eye on him, whether he wants me around or not._

…

Cloud paused outside the door of the ShinRa mansion. He really hated this place.

_Still…_

The door creaked open more easily than it should have, for a place that wasn't really being used. Apparently, the town's new residents didn't like the look or the feel of the place and seemed to have left it relatively untouched. It was exactly as Cloud had left it those many years ago. Or maybe few years….

_Yet…it seems new. Different somehow…._

He stepped softly, slowly across the threshold, yet he felt heavy. Those footsteps echoed in his head, pulsating and driving into his skull. He noticed after a moment that they were continuing, that he was moving forward, unconsciously, into the entrance hall. The colors in the room became brighter, the shadows darker, the light more intense, the sounds more acute. His heart raced. A name lingered on the very tip of his quivering tongue, clutching the back of his throat. The only one who could make him feel such a rushing high just by granting his presence….

"Cloud…."

The blonde whirled around to face the shadow in the door, stopping dead as his eyes locked with the other's. The face contorted slightly. "Cloud…are you alright?" the dark growl of a voice asked softly. Cloud stared, blinking…and then relaxed. Vincent, of course. Why would _he_ be here? Their faces were similar, but _he_ was angelic and Vincent shrouded. Of course, Cloud would've known _his_ voice in an instant.

"Yeah. Fine," he answered breathily, shortly.

"You're flushed. And sweating," Vincent pointed out.

Cloud put a hand to his forehead and found it hot and soaked, just as he'd said. "I'm fine," he repeated. "It's the cold. I haven't been anywhere this cold in a while. It looks like rain…well, snow I guess. It never rains here. It's too cold for that."

"The cold, huh?" Vincent repeated skeptically. "Cloud…as a friend and as a partyman who's traveled with you for years and fought alongside you, I want you to take this seriously and not as an insult." He came close enough to Cloud that he place a hand—the one that was still soft—on his shoulder. "You're not yourself. You have a problem. You're getting emotional and depressive and it isn't like you. I'm neither a good psychologist nor anywhere near a decent therapist, if you understand me. You need to get help. You've got to move on, and…"

* * *

"…and you're not doing it on your own," Zack whined, eyes filled with concern.

Sephiroth stopped and looked back at him with a searching look in his eyes. "You think I'm crazy."

His companion sighed. "I think you're suffering and you could go crazy if you keep this up. I really don't wanna be the one to deal with you when you go nuts. You _are_ the most powerful man on the planet, y'know. It'd be like Meteor all over again. And then…I'd have to go through what you went through, Seph."

That seemed to strike a chord in the deep recesses of the stone heart of the ex-general. He turned away, looking around at the faded beauty of the mansion. "What if…I did go insane?" He shook his head. "I wonder…if he would have killed me as well…were he in my shoes…."

"Seph…" Zack tried to think of something to tell his dear friend that would cheer him up, but he couldn't think of anything.

Sephiroth turned to him, betraying an uncanny sadness lining his white lashes. "Perhaps I really am crazy." The corners of his mouth pulled upward somewhat. "My memory is cloudy, and yet…I could never forget." _My heart is attached to someone who no longer lives…._ "…Look at them, Zack. They don't need me anymore…."

* * *

"That isn't true," Vincent said. "You're their hero. They know our story. They know _your _story. They _do_ need you."

"No, they don't. He's not coming back," Cloud said. "The man I looked up to died right here, under our feet in the library." _What I was chasing all that time wasn't even real._ "And that threat is gone now. Besides…I'm sure you and the others could handle him if another clone came along and resurrected him somehow. You're heroes just as much as I am." _More than I am, actually…I could never think of myself that way. It's too weird…._

"But you were the only one who could ever kill him, Cloud," Vincent insisted. "You, and only you. Even when you were just a nobody cadet, you defeated him."

"He's not coming back," Cloud repeated. "I'm so sick of it…" _Life has…_

* * *

…_no meaning…._ Sephiroth shook his head. "What am I doing here? I'm a soldier without a war to fight…I grew up fighting, I lived for battle…and now there's nothing left. Nothing can make me _feel_ again. I was only ever _alive_ when I was fighting him. And while I was fighting him...everything I held dear was in danger." _And somewhere…I knew the truth: this wasn't the one I knew…it was a twisted mutation of what I once knew…._

* * *

_I keep searching for something meaningful…but everything is right in the world and nothing is right with me…would it be any different if the world was wrong?_

Vincent reached out to Cloud again, but he pulled away. "Vincent…no offense…"

"Of course not…."

"Go away."

Vincent blinked, but seemed to understand. There was pain there that he couldn't mend, and that his presence couldn't ease. "Don't lose yourself," he whispered, not as a warning really, but as a whole-hearted request. _Please..._.

Cloud gave no answer; just left him standing in the entryway without a word.

…

He became vaguely aware of where he was in about an hour's time. One of the rooms, to be sure, but he wasn't exactly sure which. Like most of the house, it was pretty, but not at all cozy. It was cold…too cold for rain.

Cloud felt something clutch his throat again and could feel a tingling hint of the battle high again. There was no way he could be feeling that if he wasn't near…but then, he couldn't be near.

Something was off.

Cloud found himself staring at a spot on the wall across the room._ No…not the wall…it's a mirror._ He crept toward it slowly. It looked somewhat out-of-place…no frame, no intricate designs, no old stains on the glass where the years had speckled it. Yet, there was nothing so much as a shine on its surface. If Cloud didn't know any better, he'd say it was just a hole in the wall leading to an exact mirror image of the room he stood in.

He stood directly in front of it and stared, but then was taken aback again—he was not staring at his reflection. There _was_ no reflection.

_I wonder if Vincent bit me in my sleep,_ he joked grimly to himself, fully aware that despite Mr. Valentine's long nap in a coffin, he was not a vampire of any sort. _But then…where is my reflection…?_

He reached out to touch the mirror, pressing his fingers to the glass. It was strangely warm…. He shut his eyes, and let his forehead drop onto the surface. _I'm nuts, like Vincent said. There's your explanation. I'm effing schizo._

…_Oh, well._

A low creak whined from the door behind him, and suddenly his high intensified. He drew in a sharp breath from behind his clenched teeth, and let it loose slowly, shakily. The glass had instantaneously become ice cold, and his breath frosted on its surface. He opened his mako-blue, luminescent eyes to the now aged and wood-framed antique. Cloud's own face stared back at him, blemished by the imperfections of the mirror in front of him.

A footstep echoed through the room, amplified by the mental trip Cloud fell prey to. A second came, more slowly this time, and a figure appeared in the mirror. Brilliant green eyes stared into the mirror and reflected into the blue eyes. An illusion through the mirror? No...was their truly someone there, behind him? Those blue eyes turned away from the mirror and to his rear, and the two met face-to-face.

A whipcrack of thunder streaked a bolt across the sky, and it began to rain.

* * *

_**dovetailing** 1) n. a musical term in which two players exchange pieces of a long solo melody by overlapping the first and last note of each phrase, thus creating the illusion that the melody is seamless, unbroken, and continuous_

**: End Chapter I :**


	2. Modulation

Disclaimer: I _wish_ I owned FFVII and Alice in Wonderland. Sadly, I don't. How emo.

* * *

_This blonde girl is chasing after me…so desperate and so fearful. She even leapt into my rabbit hole just to find me. She left the world where all is the way it should be to be in a world where nothing is as it should be. She keeps chasing me, even though she is so much slower than I and she could never hope to catch up. I am still running, and I will always run. But I am happy, because she is chasing me. Maybe I want her to catch up. Maybe I want her to catch me, pull me down, and make me believe in a world where nothing is right._

**Chapter II : Modulation**

Vincent paced around the entryway for a little over an hour before he decided to check up on him. He would be discreet, he decided, so that he wouldn't disturb Cloud. Normally, he would leave the kid to his own devices, but….

Vincent stopped at the foot of the stairs. _That's right. Cloud isn't a kid anymore._ Maybe he was acting like a child now, but he'd certainly grown up over the past years—most often by force, by the events related to Sephiroth ripping away at his innocence and his childhood until there was nothing left. _He certainly isn't a child…._

All the same, he couldn't allow him to keep running. Since Sephiroth's death—the one Vincent helped with—all Cloud had done was run away, withdraw, stay on the move, keep moving, don't make contact, move, don't do anything permanent, keep going…to nowhere. No destination, just continue. If he stopped for a moment to try and regain himself, his friends, and his humanity, he would surely break down. It was a miracle that Cloud allowed Vincent to accompany him here.

_He can't keep going that way. It's not living. I don't care if he's lost his reason for living—we'll find a new one!_

He swept up the stairs and then peeked into each room, searching for his ward. A few chairs in one room…he did spy some wild monsters in one, but he didn't see a body, so he moved on…he checked his old coffin room and the library and the passages beneath, then he moved to the other ordinary rooms. One had an old framed mirror in it, but nothing out of the ordinary. The speckled, cold mirror suited the place: cold, dirty, and so pretty and ornate it was ugly.

Vincent checked all the rooms again, more quickly and less stealthily this time, almost panicked. "Shit! That little bastard took off!" he growled. Peeking outside and seeing his motorcycle was still parked outside under an awning, he concluded, "He can't have gotten far…" Vincent pulled out his cell and started calling him, hoping to pick up the sound as he went out into the rain.

But Cloud's cellular phone was not in service. Vincent was not to find his friend, nor was he to find his enemy. Cloud, after all, had simply ceased to exist.

* * *

Try as he might, Cloud could not bring himself to utter the other's name.

The two stood still, staring at one another, unable to avert their eyes. That high gripped Cloud as he stared, paralyzed, at his enemy, taking the breadth and grace of his full form in with his gaze. He'd forgotten how beautiful and awe-inspiring that figure was. And how terrifying it was to be in the presence of both the most powerful man on the planet and the most insane.

Sephiroth's hand moved up, in slow motion, to the hilt of Masamune, his gloved fingers curling around it. The general eyed him warily…but there was something about that stare that Cloud found disconcerting. Those eyes held not only tension and focus…but also…

_Fear? Why would Sephiroth fear?_

Cloud reached up slowly to touch his own weapon on his back, swallowing heavily. He found his throat suddenly dry. Yes, he looked up to this man…yes, he felt alive when he was near…but he was alive with fear. Cloud knew he had more than a right to fear him. He'd tasted that blade more than once, and felt the sheer force that those hands backed. But Sephiroth? So Cloud had defeated him…a few times. But when had Sephiroth ever shown fear, even in the face of that defeat?

"How…?"

The word resonated in Cloud's skull, spoken by that voice, in the midst of the effects of his non-chemical drug. Now that Sephiroth had broken the silence, he found it slightly easier to continue, "How are you alive…?"

Cloud stared a little longer before trying to clear his head enough to answer. "…Me?"

Sephiroth's grip tightened on his sword. He repositioned his feet in what might have passed for discomfort in the eyes of an amateur, but what Cloud immediately recognized as a change in stance. He looked back up at the green eyes behind those strands of silver hair once more. The blonde managed to force out, "…What about _you_?"

Silence descended again, except for the rain pounding on the frosty house. Each one scrutinized the other, trying to make sense of their situation, but neither was really getting anywhere and neither dared to move. Both hands on their swords, they watched one another for the slightest muscle twitch. At such a small distance, a false start might have met either of their lives.

"Seph!" a full, cheery voice called from downstairs. Cloud stiffened—he knew that voice. But it was totally impossible… "Hey, Seph! It's been, like, two hours! Come on! Where'd you go?" Sephiroth noticed the call as well, it seemed, his eyes darting to the door for a split second. That was the last person he wanted involved in this.

_Impossible…_ Cloud repeated to himself. And yet here he was, staring his idol and enemy straight in the face…after having killed him a third and—he hoped—final time. It made a sort of strange sense that Zack would be there, too, even as only a voice in his head. It made sense that it was raining in Nibelheim in the middle of winter.

"I get it," Cloud whispered. "Heh…It's true…he was right…." He shook his head, letting his sword fall off his shoulder… "I…really _am_ crazy…."

Unfortunately for Cloud, Sephiroth did _not_ take the movement of the sword lightly.

Sephiroth leapt at him at a speed that took even Cloud by surprise—even after fighting him more than enough times to see the general's godlike agility firsthand, it was almost as though he'd somehow become stronger—Cloud blocked, clumsily for him, but it didn't take more than a few swipes to regain his footing and his focus. He went on the offensive, but Sephiroth drove him back—Cloud regained the advantage—back and forth went the offense and defense, both matched evenly—and very soon, that cramped little room became a disadvantage for both. Cloud decided to move first, diving through the door, breaking it down, and into the entryway. They continued their battle there, neither of them so much as taking note of their dark-haired friend on the lower edge of the stairwell. Zack stayed out of it for most of the battle, but drew his hefty and beloved sword in waiting once he understood what had just flown into the room. And when the two came close—

The full weight and momentum of the buster-model sword collided with Cloud's body at the same moment that he was trying to block one of Sephiroth's attacks. The blonde flew through the doors of the estate, taken entirely by surprise with the new opponent. He skidded across the square through the wet snow, settling at last in the middle of the street. The fact that it had stopped raining did _not_ make the frigidity of the icing-over road any better on his face.

In a few moment's time, while Cloud tried to drag himself up from the ground, he heard people gasp. A few whispered, "Is that Cloud Strife?!" The gasps, shortly, became shrieks as the townspeople fled from him in terror.

_They must have seen Sephiroth…_ Cloud thought, noticing the said swordsman exiting the mansion after him. It occurred to him then—history could repeat itself. Sephiroth in Nibelheim—they're rebuilding now, but what if it happened again? He couldn't let Sephiroth stay here.

_Gods, where is Vincent when you need him?!_ Cloud got up. He wasn't sure who had hit him back there—he was _absolutely_ sure it wasn't the ghost of Zack, of course—but he couldn't afford to be outnumbered against a party that included Sephiroth. And in the middle of the town, he couldn't afford to lose. _So…I've got to get him away from the town…._

He looked around quickly and spotted his motorbike under the awning where he'd parked it. With his free hand, he reached in his pocket and made a dash for it—a spray of cold from behind him let him know that the Masamune was right behind him and almost within reach—pulling out the key and jamming it in the ignition, he put his sword up in hopes that it would buy him just a second and twisted the handlebar.

He nearly ran over Sephiroth as the bike roared to life and sped forward, and he also nearly lost control on the ice. But, dragging the edge of his sword on the road to gain some traction, he righted himself and sped down the mountain road.

Cloud turned back to see the shocked look on the general's face. "SEPHIROTH! COME ON!!" he yelled back, hoping to draw him away from the innocents. If Sephiroth didn't follow him, this could be a serious mistake….

Zack watched open-mouthed from the town as Cloud sped away. "That…that sonuvahbitch stole my _bike_!!" he cried, infuriated. "Sephiroth, you little bastard! You can fly! Go get it, damnit!"

Sephiroth made a face that plainly said he could care less about Zack's bike in comparison to catching Cloud, but he spread his single wing and took off into the air after his adversary. He saw Cloud relax slightly, even from that height, and turn his head to the road. As a passing thought, Sephiroth noted it strange that Cloud even knew how to ride a motorbike; he'd never seen the ex-SOLDIER operate any vehicle, whether it was a motorbike, regular bike, or automobile. And why would he need to steal one, anyway? He had a wing the same as Sephiroth did.

_And why would he just run off instead of targeting the town like the last time he was here?_

Cloud occasionally looked back to make sure Sephiroth was still following him—which he was, of course. Once he'd driven far enough from civilization, He slowed the bike to a stop and got off, facing the sky, with his huge sword in front of him, ready for Sephiroth's dive. But, instead of coming to attack him immediately, Sephiroth floated down a few meters away, touching down softly in front of him.

"Cloud," he addressed the other, with his usual intensity…but without the taunting quality in his voice. "How did you return?"

Again, Cloud was taken aback by the question. "I should be asking _you_ that. _You're_ the one who died."

Sephiroth gave him a strange look…one that Cloud didn't recall having ever seen on the general's face. Perhaps he had…but it looked…so _sane_, so _lucid_. It looked as though Sephiroth was truly trying to understand the situation through _reason_ rather than parroting the ludicrous, world-destroying words of Jenova.

Something split the silence then—a familiar nine-note fanfare that Cloud had come accustomed to ignoring. He never answered his phone, ever—and now was certainly not the time. Yet…he began to think he heard an echo of that tune…a duplicate. Sephiroth reached to his belt where his own cell was, confused, having also heard the duplication of the melody, yet he didn't take his eyes off of Cloud. Cloud did the same, and sure enough, out of the corner of his eye, he saw it lighting up the same as Sephiroth's was.

Cloud had set his phone to put his voicemail on speakerphone immediately, in the case that he was on the road and couldn't pull over to check it. The tone beeped and the voice came on. Cloud lowered his sword as the blood drained from his appendages. He knew that voice.

"Sephiroth-kun, how come you never answer your phone?" the beautiful, almost audibly pink words sang, "Oh…well…I was just worried…because Zack-kun said you weren't in a very good mood and…I know it may not mean much, but you can talk to me…if you want…. Oh! I'm taking care of Denzel and Marlene for now, so don't worry about them…but…they miss you…and so do I…so…please come home soon. Okay? Bye-bye…."

Cloud found himself unable to raise his sword from where its tip rested on the ground. Zack was one thing, but… _Aeris? Why…did she…how could she? She's…she…did she say…"__**Sephiroth-kun**__"?!_

Sephiroth, seeing that Cloud had dropped his guard for the moment, cautiously raised his phone to his ear and checked the message, finding that it was exactly the same. _But why would a call from Aeris to me pick up on Cloud's phone, too? Why does he even _have_ a phone?_

Cloud shook his head. "No…I'm not crazy…" he whispered, dragging his sword and his body back to the bike. "…I'm dead."

"What?"

"I'm dead…it makes sense," Cloud said. "You're here…Zack's here…Aeris is here…" But he stopped. "Why are Denzel and Marlene here?"

"You're not dead…" Sephiroth corrected warily. "You've _been_ dead three times now…but you're not dead now."

"What?" The forlorn blonde looked back. "How did I die?"

Sephiroth hesitated, as if he didn't want to say it. The other still watched him. "…I killed you."

Cloud watched him and shook his head. "Maybe…I'm looking at things from _your_ point of view? Having some kind of dream…? But then, Aeris and Zack wouldn't be here…maybe it's just an ordinary dream…like a nightmare that came from some kind of…unconscious turmoil in my soul or some kind of crap like that."

The taller man narrowed his eyes. "You're saying you don't remember fighting me?"

"No…I remember fighting you," Cloud answered grimly. "How could I forget? Killing you…over and over…not knowing if you'd stay dead or if you'd come back to haunt me. Does that give you some sick kind of satisfaction to know that you've been driving me insane?"

Again, Sephiroth looked puzzled, showing not the slightest hint of amusement. That definitely surprised Cloud..._ Why is he hesitating? What happened to change him this much?_

"You mean…you don't remember losing?"

Cloud tensed up for a moment. "Losing?" he asked, for confirmation, "You mean…me losing to you?"

The older one nodded. Cloud swallowed deeply, not showing so much of an ounce of recognition. He shivered in his damp clothes—the battle high was wearing off. The mental strain was throwing him off. He couldn't face Sephiroth like this, much less do battle.

_I've got to get out…!_

He nearly fell back onto his bike, turning the key again, fumbling with it this time. He realized he was shaking. Sephiroth made a move to stop him, but then took a step back, relaxing a little. _Perhaps it's better to see where he goes…_ he thought. Cloud started the engine and took off.

_Maybe I'll go to Edge and then I can talk to Tifa and Barrett about what's going on. Yeah…that'll be the thing. Maybe they'll know what's happening. Maybe I should talk to a therapist instead…_

_Run away, withdraw, stay on the move, keep moving, don't make contact, move, don't do anything permanent, keep going…to nowhere. No destination, just continue. If I stop for a moment to try and regain myself, my friends, and my humanity, I'll surely break down._

_But now I have a destination. Now I have a reason to keep moving. Sephiroth is back._

_He came back._

* * *

_**modulation**__ 1) n. a musical term for a key signature change; that is, where all the notes of a melody are moved up or down in pitch; thus, the same melody is played, but in a different place to our ears_

**: End Chapter II :**


	3. Hemiola

Disclaimer: Cloud and friends aren't mien. Neither are Alice and friends. Or their enemies. I'm just writing a fanfic for fun. I not be stealin' nobody's bucket!! And I'm not exactly sure of some things…but I found the whole VII mini-franchise to be kinda confuzzling sometimes, even if it was amazingly awesome, hehe. So, sorry if I screw up the details.

And, _yes_. I gave in. I called her… -cringe- …_Aerith_.

* * *

_Alice ran on and on after the rabbit and it began to grow dark. At first, she could see the white rabbit quite clearly against the blackness, but the light faded and she found she could no longer see the rabbit at all. She called and called for it and began to be frightened. She was all alone in this world where nothing made sense and she couldn't find her way. But maybe she wasn't alone; maybe the rabbit had never left her at all. Maybe the reason she couldn't find him was because he was following her._

**Chapter III : Hemiola**

It wasn't where he'd thought it was. Nor did anything else seem to be. The weapon shop, the item shop, the bike dealership, the new ShinRa headquarters—it was all in a different place. And Cloud was a delivery boy—he would know.

Finally, he had the luck to look off a raised street and see the tips of a church roof sticking out over the skyline. That was the place he needed to be if he wanted to find his way to Seventh Heaven. He drove down the roads he knew so well—or thought he knew well. He took about six wrong turns and hit three dead-ends before he actually got to the street that the church was on. And it wasn't the street he remembered it being on.

Just to calm his nerves, he parked his bike outside of the church. It was getting close to night now, so he was pretty sure he wouldn't run into any kids or prying eyes. He came to the front doors and took a deep breath. What if it was different than he remembered it being? It looked just the same on the outside…the same church as before, just as run-down-looking. And just as beautiful…but would he find the flowers there, and the spring? Would it still be there, or would something about this be drastically different as well? If it was, did he really want to look inside?

_I don't think I've ever been one to leave well enough alone. I really can't remember a time I ever have._

So, he pushed on the doors, they swung in—and he found it. Exactly as he'd left it.

Cloud released his held breath slowly. He didn't feel the rush of calm he thought he'd feel when he found something familiar…and not just somewhat familiar and distorted, but exactly familiar. The red glow of twilight fiddled with the color of the stained glass just as it always had, streaming in from the broken rafters and dancing across the surface of the little pool of water below. The distortion in color only made the flowers more beautiful at this time of day. Or maybe it was night….

Perhaps it wasn't that it wasn't normal—perhaps it was the fact that the scene _was_ normal that disturbed Cloud so much. Everything around him was so topsy-turvy, it was almost like this church didn't belong. Like it wasn't actually supposed to exist in a world like this, where everything was suddenly wrong.

_Maybe I'm not supposed to exist in a world like this, either…_

He got on his bike and left that scene behind. He couldn't just cling to that one sanctuary. He had to keep moving.

* * *

"Come _on_, Vinny! Open uuuuup, yo!" Reno rapped on the door to his inn and bar a fifth time.

"I told you to go the hell away!" the old man growled from inside. "And call me by that stupid pet name one more time if you'd like me to shoot an outlet where your plug is!"

Reno made a sound that might be spelled "meep" if written and cringed. "Th-th-that won't be necessary, Mr. Valentine! I just wanna see Sephiroth, that's all!"

"I told you, he isn't home! Get lost!"

"You're not letting me in! For all I know, you could be hiding him!"

Rude sighed, placing a hand on Reno's shoulder. "Reno, I think he's telling the truth. Maybe we should just…."

Vincent threw the door open and stepped forward, shoving the barrel of Cerberus into Reno's mouth. "Alright, I'll give you a choice, Turk scum. A) You and your bald friend scram. B) Your head gets blown off…or C)…" He lowered the gun. "…Your _head_ gets blown off."

"Oh, Vincent! Don't do that!" Aerith pleaded, dancing out from Seventh Heaven, grabbing Vincent's soft arm gently. "He doesn't deserve that, no matter _how_ annoying he is!"

"Sh-she's right, Vincent! Listen to the girl! She's smart!" Reno whined in falsetto.

Sephiroth watched them from the roof, not alerting them to his presence yet. He'd figured Cloud would come by here eventually…though, he'd seemed pretty lost when Sephiroth had decided to quit the chase, so he wasn't sure how long he'd have to wait…he certainly didn't want to make them panic if he didn't have to. A smile barely played at the very corners of his mouth. His friends…their horseplay seemed so innocent, even though he was sure that gun was loaded and he could see very well where it was pointed. He knew Vincent would never fire the gun…especially not with Aerith on his arm. Aerith…beautiful as always. Zack was a lucky man to have a wife like that. Cooks, cleans, gardens, and always knows just how to kiss your hurts…and _really_ make them feel better. According to Zack, she wasn't so bad at kissing areas that didn't hurt, either….

A sadness crossed his mind for a moment—why had he never found happiness there? They were all he could ever ask for. Zack was his best friend, Aerith was an angel, Reno and Rude were always there for comic relief…and hell, he had _family_ now. And family he could _stand_, no less! _Oh, my relief when I found out my blood wasn't stained by that slimeball of a scientist. Thank the gods for Vincent and his love affair…._

Though, because Chaos had slowed his aging quite a bit (quite obviously), Vincent was really more like a cousin or an uncle than a father. Not quite a brother…they got along far too well for that, and weren't quite as close, either. He didn't mind so much. He'd relied on Vincent so much during his long, hard battles…and not just Vincent. He trusted each of them with his life.

_So why couldn't I ever find happiness here? It just doesn't make sense. Everything belongs…._

The purr of a motorbike startled him out of his reverie. There he was—somewhat late, but there as expected. Sephiroth saw his adversary look up at the sign in front of the establishment and heave a visible sigh of relief. He noticed…Cloud looked tired.

Cloud pulled up beside the bar and pulled down his goggles. The others were still preoccupied in their squabble as he walked toward them. "Hey…Vincent…I didn't know you came back…is Tifa…?" Then, he saw Aerith. And Aerith and the others saw him.

Just a moment's pause. And then Aerith gasped—Vincent grabbed her and pulled her behind him, wheeling his gun around to face Cloud. Reno pulled out his rod (that is, his weapon) and Rude put up his dukes. Sephiroth, above and unnoticed, readied himself to come down if necessary. Cloud, however, took a few steps—more like stumbles—back from them, taken totally by surprise.

"Wait a second…what's going on?" Cloud asked. If Vincent couldn't tell him, he thought it was very probable that no one could. After all, Vincent was the last one he'd been with, and here he was with Aeris…he had to know something.

"So you've come back again," Vincent hissed at him. "What is it for this time? Jenova is dead!"

Cloud blinked at him. "Yeah…she's…been that way." He looked at Aerith again. "How…how are you alive?"

Aerith opened her mouth to speak, but Vincent cut her off, "She's alive because we've been protecting her from you! We weren't able to protect Tifa, but we'll make sure Aerith stays safe!"

Cloud's brow furrowed. "…Did you just say 'Aerith'?"

"That's her name," Vincent snapped.

Cloud shook his head. "It's Aeris…not…nevermind. What happened to Tifa?"

"Tifa?!" Rude interjected in a voice enveloped with more volume and emotion than Cloud had ever heard from him. "You want to know what happened to Tifa?! You _killed_ her! Murderous sonuvah…!"

Rude sobbed once. Reno grabbed his arm, trying to steady him. "Don't lose it now, yo!" he whispered. "This guy'll rip you apart! Get with it!"

Cloud's eyes widened slowly as he watched them. "Wh…hold on…I think there's some kind of mistake…you know I'd never hurt Tifa! And besides, I've been in Nibelheim. Vincent, you were with me!"

"Oh, I was with you," Vincent said. "When you burned the place to the ground, I smelled the cinders from my coffin!"

"That was Sephiroth, not me! And I was talking about earlier today—"

"_Sephiroth_, huh?" Vincent scoffed. "I haven't been out of Edge in a month! _I_ was talking about three years ago!"

Cloud took another step back, eyes even wider than before. "But…that can't be…" He shook his head. "I just talked to Tifa…less than a week ago…." He backed into his bike, shaking.

"Why are you here?!" Vincent demanded.

_I don't know…_

"What do you want?! What do you want from us?!"

"What are you looking for?!"

_I don't know…I don't know…!_

Aerith watched as Cloud's face warped in pain and he pressed the heels of his palms into his temples. There was something there that she saw that the rest of them could not. She looked into his face…and found that she didn't recognize him. Or maybe she did…from one day a long, long, time ago when Zack had come back on leave with an angst-filled little cadet in tow…those pretty eyes that looked as though they could hold so much pain, and yet only hold so much pain…not the eyes that pierced her soul and paralyzed her with fear three years ago….

"Cloud?" she ventured softly, almost drowned out by the accusations of the other. "Can you…see?" she asked. "Are you sane? Are you…whole?"

Again, Cloud reached for his escape, defeated by the onslaught of delusion before him. He started the bike again and pulled out, hitting full speed in a matter of seconds in a mad rush to get away. He was beginning to do something that scared him much more than the world itself—he was beginning to understand.

* * *

Sephiroth watched him pass away. He'd heard what Aerith had said. And maybe, he thought…just maybe…. But, no—it was far too much to hope for. Cloud's memories wouldn't be that skewed…would they?

He felt a vibration at his belt and opened the phone before the ringtone started up and alerted the others. Of course, that meant he had to answer the call. He hadn't thought of that.

"Hello…?" he answered dully.

There was a momentary silence. "Seph? Whoa. You actually answered your phone?"

"What do you want, Zack?"

"Did you just wanna hear my voice that badly?" the brunette cooed.

"I said, what do you want?!"

"Yikes! Well, I just wanted to know if you'd gotten my bike back yet."

"Bike?" It took him a second. "Oh—you mean—Zack, I don't have time to worry about your goddamn machine. If you hadn't noticed, Cloud's returned."

Another silence…but this time, longer…and heavier. "So…he really is back?" Zack asked. "I…guess I just wanted to believe I was seeing things…but…." He didn't continue…just trailed off. Sephiroth didn't feel the need to continue that statement either…it spoke for itself.

"It's odd," Sephiroth noted. "You'd think he'd be coming after me or Aerith or terrorizing the city streets or somesuch thing…but…." He frowned, looking off in the direction that Cloud had gone. "He's…completely lost. Like he's in a strange country or something…he thought Aerith was dead and Tifa was alive, and he seems to think that everything he did was actually _my_ doing, and vice versa. He hasn't actually attacked anyone yet…I think I pre-empted him when we fought in Nibelheim, truth be told." The general sighed. "He was a lunatic before, but now he's just…."

"Drifting?"

Sephiroth blinked. He remembered when Aerith had said that word to him before.

"Hey, Seph. I was wondering…now that he's back…do you feel like you have…meaning again? Like you were talking about?"

Sephiroth said nothing. Zack continued.

"I mean…why are you here? What do you want? What is it that you're looking for? Do you know now?"

Still, silence on the other end. Still, he could say nothing.

"You never really seemed happy when all was right with the world, you know? So…now that there's something else…something that doesn't belong, doesn't fit…is that what you were looking for?"

_Will something that doesn't belong be the thing that completes you?_

* * *

_**hemiola**__ 1) n. a musical term in which a rhythm is played that is outside the normal beat of the piece; such as, in a three-beat song like a waltz, a four-beat melody is stressed, or in 4/4 time, a melody that should be in 3/4 is played_

**: End Chapter III :**


	4. Fugue

Disclaimer: I'm still inspired, damnit! I don't usually update this fast, I assure you! But I just can't seem to stop writing!

Whoa...this chapter got complicated fast. Sorry if the character emotions jump around a little. I'll do better next time

* * *

_Alice ran away and away from Tweedledum and Tweedledee and the Mad Hatter and the March Hare. She couldn't find her way and she feared they thought her a servant to the queen—after their heads! White Rabbit! White Rabbit! Where are you? Are you not a servant to the queen? Could it be that you have never beheaded anyone? That my journeys have all been a lie? Alice smiled to herself, and her heart secretly leapt for joy. Then she ran to find the White Rabbit, not to find her way, but to hand herself over—because if she was wrong and the white rabbit never served the queen after all, she was quite content to take punishment for those crimes if only to find him once more. Yet, as she ran, the card soldiers marched in pursuit..._

**Chapter IV: Fugue**

* * *

**Short Mini-Chapter: **This is a snippet I forgot to add into this chapter...for comic relief

There are times when you'd rather just have the bad luck.

Cloud rolled his eyes at his left mirror from under the goggles. Red and blue lights flashed at him. A cop? Seriously? He hadn't been speeding, and really, he was in no mood to be pulled over. As if he hadn't had enough bad luck….

He brought the bike to a full stop on the side of the road and the cop car pulled up behind him. A middle-aged man who looked like he'd had one too many donuts stepped out, straightening his hat on his head. He pulled out his ticket pad and started to scribble on it as he came over. "Are you aware, sir…" he drawled boredly, not even bothering to look up at him, "…that it is illegal to ride a motorized bicycle without a proper helmet?"

Cloud looked at him, totally exasperated. "That's it?! That's why you pulled me over?"

"Don't talk back to a police officer!" he droned in a totally non-commanding voice. "Show me your license and your papers, please…."

Cloud groaned and fished around in his pockets, thrusting his license at the cop and then turning to his saddlebags. I know my papers are in here somewhere….

The older man looked over his ID. "Ha! Cloud Strife, huh? Whoo, hoo-hoo! Never heard that one before! I'm gonna need a real license, kid, or else you're coming down to the station with me. Ha-ha!! Cloud Strife…that's great…whoo…."

The blonde looked up at him with a look of disgust on his face. He peeled off his goggles. "That is my real license."

The officer finally looked up at him. He laughed at first, but then got a good look. The mako-blue eyes, the sandy blonde hair that stuck up without the need for gel, and finally…the sword. The ginormous sword strapped to the pretty-boy's back. The numerous swords of equal size and weight slipped into the custom slots on the bike. The materia crammed into every one.

He dropped his ticket pad, his pen, and his lower jaw. A few times he tried frantically, in a panic, to speak, but his lips just flapped silently in the air. Eventually, a sound did split his speechlessness—a shriek of girlish terror. He ran back to his car, all thoughts of arrest totally forgotten.

"Weren't you going to arrest me?" Cloud asked, befuddled.

"Just remembered! New law! No helmet's okay, long 's ya got…uh…goggles! Y-yeah!! Goggles! M-move along!" He fumbled with the door and opened it. "P-please! Don't kill me! I'm just a traffic cop! I didn't know any better! I got a wife and kids! I'll leave you alone! P-please…!" He locked himself in, not bothering to buckle up. The officer backed into a tree before showering down on the accelerator and heading back towards town.

Cloud watched him leave. He raised his eyebrows, not quite knowing what to make of the situation. At length, he half-sighed the only word that came to mind.

"...Wowwww…."

He shook his head and moved along, as the officer had told him to do. He wondered if he wouldn't have minded just paying the ticket.

There are times when you'd rather just have the bad luck.

**: End Mini - Chapter :**

**

* * *

****Chapter IV continued...**

"Hey, guys! Why the long faces?"

Vincent and Aerith, along with the pair of Turks that had finally been invited in due to extenuating circumstances, gave him a look that plainly told him this was the time to be serious. Marlene and Denzel, who had come down to see what the hubbub was about, ran to Zack and latched onto his legs. "Uncle Zack!" Marlene said. "Is Cloud really back?"

Zack blinked at that question, not knowing how to answer the child. What could Cloud possibly remind her of—other than her father's death? "Uh…well…." He shrugged and shook his head. "Even if he did come back, Uncle Seph would beat him up! So don't worry, okay?"

"What if he takes us away somewhere?" Denzel asked, remembering the episode with Kadaj and brothers. Aerith stood up then and took their hands, pulling them gently off of Zack and over to the stairs. She whispered soothing, motherly words and sent them off to bed. When they had gone, she stood, turning to her beloved with a look of deep sympathy for their pain and his—she understood them beyond anything or anyone else. It was one of the reasons Zack loved her like no one else.

When a few moments of silence from the upper floor told them that the kids were in bed, Vincent began, "So…I take it you heard."

"Yeah…I was in Nibelheim just now, actually…with Seph. But Seph ran off after him, and blondie stole my goddamn bike, so I had to hitchhike…."

Aerith blinked. "He stole your bike?"

"Yeah!" Zack confirmed. "Fo' shiz! Can you believe that?"

"He _was_ in Nibelheim earlier today, then? Like he said he was?" Vincent asked.

"Well, _apparently_, he wasn't with you, yo?" Reno reminded him.

"Hey…why are those two in here anyway?" Zack asked. "I thought you said the day you let 'those two scumbags in was the day Cloud came back and started acting like a good guy!'" Vincent shot a look at him, somewhere in between a glare and an eye-roll. "What? What did I—oh…." Zack blinked a little. "So he came by here? And he started acting like a _good guy_?"

"He was acting as though…"

"…Sephiroth did all that shit instead of him. Yeah, Seph called and told me so. But that's still not acting like a good guy."

"He looked really distraught when we told him about Tifa…" Aerith explained. "He didn't seem to know…that she was gone. And he looked at _me_ as though he'd grieved _my_ loss and I'd come back from the dead…."

"He was acting all friendly-like. Didn't even reach for his sword when we got ready to fight, yo. Just ran off on that bike." Reno flicked out his rod, playing with it a little. "Hey, why would he need your bike, anyway? Can't he fly?"

"Jenova gave him that wing," Vincent reasoned, "so it's likely that if he doesn't remember his connections with Jenova, he doesn't remember he has a wing, either."

"But he _does_ remember Jenova!" Aerith jumped in. "Remember? He said he knew she was dead, and he acted like he didn't care at all!"

Zack nodded. "He seems to remember everything…just…he doesn't remember being the bad guy."

Vincent sighed. "So where does that leave us? Are we to conclude that he's come here from an alternate universe where everything happened as he said it did?"

The others remained silent for a moment. Vincent had intended it as sarcasm, but then he began to think. It actually made a lot of sense. Two very different realities, and yet very the same…fitting together to the same destination even though they deviate in the journey. Zack nodded a little. "Y'know…I was thinking about that…just before we actually met him in Nibelheim. I was thinking, what if there _was_ a universe like that? It's possible that Tifa and Barrett might have lived and that other people, like Aerith, might have died…."

"That explains why he called me 'Aeris,' too…" she noted. "After all, in a parallel universe, we could have different names, but still be the same people. _Anything_ could happen!"

"Yeah! I mean, think about it, yo! If Sephiroth walked up to Seventh Heaven in some other universe and asked for Aerith and they told him she was dead and he killed her and started pointing weapons at him, how do you think he'd react? Prolly about the same, right?"

"The idea of a parallel universe is ridiculous," Vincent cut them off. "There's no way to travel between them even if they do exist, and there's no way to prove even that. Besides, that wouldn't explain the wing—"

"If he never followed Jenova," Aerith pointed out, "he would never have grown a wing."

Vincent clammed up for a second. "There's still no way it could happen."

"You got a better idea?" Zack asked.

That got him, of course. There was nothing else that could explain such events without more information. Wait…information? "You two!" he growled at the Turks. "Why did you want to see Sephiroth, anyway?"

"Uh…well…." Reno shifted uncomfortably. "It was because…we had evidence…that somebody wanted to bring Cloud back." He grinned darkly. "But…I guess it's a little late for that, huh?"

Vincent looked to Zack and Aerith, who looked back at him with the same shaken looks on their faces. The Turk's theory was certainly proved correct.

"We need to find Sephiroth."

* * *

Cloud drove through the night, totally unaware that a one-winged angel was tailing him in the black sky. The streetlights blocked out all signs of the stars. Only an occasional car passing by in the other direction reminded him that he was living in a world where other people and other things existed.

He was starting to become aware of what exactly his situation was. He'd concluded that instead of grouping them together, he should group them apart: everything that existed up to the moment he'd found the out-of-place mirror was one world, and everything that existed since the mirror had vanished was another world. In one world, Sephiroth had gone crazy and Zack and Aeris had died. In the other, Cloud had gone crazy and Tifa had died—and her name was Aerith, not Aeris.

But there were still so many questions he had. _I wasn't a general…I was just a lousy cadet who couldn't make it into SOLDIER. Why would they have so much trouble fighting me? And why would _I_ go crazy? Sephiroth had a screwed up past, but I was just some small-town kid with no future and no luck. There's no reason I would lose it. _I_ didn't believe Jenova was my mother like Sephiroth did even when he _was_ sane…._

The night wore on and he became more and more aware of something: he was exhausted. Now that he'd figured out what was going on, he felt better, but running around and panicking and being under constant pressure and confusion and gunpoint had taken its toll on his body. On top of that, he'd had a surprise run-in with Sephiroth, and he wouldn't be surprised if he had a few cracked ribs from his friend…who now, he figured, might well have been Zack. He met Zack, and he hadn't even realized it until it was too late….

Why was he staring into headlights? Oh…he'd zoned out and swerved onto the wrong side…. Cloud quickly pulled back into his lane before the car got too close and watched it pass by him. It looked as though they hadn't even noticed he'd been in the wrong.

_What about Sephiroth?_ he thought. _If these two worlds are separate, and somehow I'm right about this whole thing, that means Sephiroth is innocent. It means he's sane…._ It meant his idol, the man he'd looked up to and loved, was still alive, still well, still loved by all and strong in mind and spirit as well as body. Forget that it meant Cloud was guilty—Sephiroth, in this world, was still the one that paralyzed him in his youth, not by fear, but by absolute and unconditional admiration and awe. Sephiroth had been beautiful in his poise and grace and in his power—not that his power then was greater than his power later, but that it was tempered with mercy and justice. His eyes held that oceanic intensity that was deep, churning, and mysterious; cold and cruel on the surface, but warm and embracing once you were immersed. How he'd longed to be immersed as a cadet—and he'd still longed for it years after that, when he'd grown and trained to kill Sephiroth…he'd longed for it even more because he knew he would never have that chance again.

A loud blare blasted in Cloud's ears. His eyes…were closed…had he fallen asleep on the bike? He opened his eyes, but then shut them again—he couldn't see for the bright light in front of him—and then, when the horn screamed at him again, more frantically, he realized what it was.

Cloud leaned as far as he could to try and turn back onto his side of the road, but the truck was too close already and he'd been going too fast—he felt an enormous force hit the tail end of his bike—he went spinning, flying, and the handlebars ripped out of his hands—something else, he assumed the ground, hit him hard in the face and he spun across it, skidding in the last few seconds across the jagged rocks off-road.

The scene was strangely diluted to him then. He heard the sounds from the road as if he was underwater. It was strangely muffled and echoey, without the natural buzz of air movement to cushion the silences in between….

Two car doors shut. "What the hell was that?"

"Some drunk kid on a motorcycle. Check the engine."

"Where is he? You think he's alright? Motorcycle accidents can be pretty bad…."

"Yeah, he's probably dead! Check the goddamn engine!"

A squeak and a clank. "If we don't go find him, the authorities will have us—"

"That's why we gotta get out of here before the authorities get here! We'll tell the repair guy we ran into a tree or a monster or something! If they search the cargo, they're gonna find all that mako stuff in there, remember? We'll be arrested! Not to mention what the boss'll do to us if we don't deliver it on time!"

"You're right…I'm more afraid of the boss than the fuzz." Squeak, clang. "The engine looks alright. Let's get outta here!" Doors open. "Wait…what's all that black crap on the road?"

"Huh…feathers? Aw, it's just roadkill. Come on, let's go!"

Two door shuts later and the cloudy light from the road glided off with a low, distant rumble. Cloud laid on his back, staring into the sky.

_Well, it's dark, but at least I can see the stars now._

It wasn't that Cloud didn't have the materia on him to completely recover his HP and status—in fact, he had two or three Cure Materia with him, all of which he could use with complete mastery. He just didn't really feel like getting up or using them. He was dog tired, and it was peaceful out here. Besides, his bike was probably in pieces and he didn't particularly like the idea of walking or hitchhiking. He'd deal with his wounds if a monster happened to show up…which it wouldn't, because he was sitting still.

For once, he was happy not to be moving…just staying in one place, just for a little while.

_Sephiroth came back. __**My**__ Sephiroth…._

He closed his eyes and started to doze again. He even ignored the sounds of someone or thing approaching; monsters usually didn't attack things that were already dead, so he wasn't worried. It didn't occur to him that he was actually bleeding profusely; the pain was dulled by his relaxation.

Something brushed against his skin…like a strand of hair. He didn't open his eyes, though, even when he felt a leather-gloved hand stroke his face. Strangely, it was warm, even through the leather. _So it's a person…maybe some good Samaritan has come along. Maybe they'll recognize me as the one who planned Meteor and shoot me dead. I'd rather not die…but I think I'll take that chance. I don't feel up to fighting right now…just sleep…._

He groaned painfully as he felt two strong, slender hands slipped under him and he was brought gently into a man's arms. The man was warm, and his muscles weren't strained, but relaxed. Cloud allowed his head to drop onto his shoulder, also coated in leather. He played with the idea that it might have been Sephiroth coming to his rescue. The corners of his mouth twitched towards his ears. _Yeah, right. But it's a nice thought. It'd be nice to dream about._

And dream he did….

The silver-haired man looked down at him thoughtfully. "He's beautiful," he whispered, at length. "Just like Nii-san said he was. But…he looks like just a child…"

"He looks like our brother…" one behind him muttered. Tears welled up in his eyes. The one leaning over Cloud didn't tell him not to cry this time.

"We should take our leave," the younger of the two said softly, lowering Cloud's body.

"Why? Won't Nii-san get him, then?"

"He's probably already looking for him. We don't want him to know what we're doing, and we can't outmatch his speed. I don't know why there's another one…but we need to play escort to those fools with our equipment. We'll let Nii-san and his friends figure out how he's here so we can focus on our task and then get the information from them later."

At length, the older one agreed with him and the two went on their way. Within moments, Cloud's dreams manifested and came true as his hero approached…but the hero was troubled. One silver hair glittered on his body in the light of the stars. Sephiroth narrowed his eyes as he entwined it between his fingers.

"So, more players join in the search for the _gift of the goddess_…" But he would worry about that later, he decided, laying the strand down. Right now, he had a choice to make.

He looked down at his dear enemy. If he wanted, he could easily just kill Cloud now and end this. But…for some reason, that didn't weigh in his mind as a solution he was actually considering. Somehow, this boy looked no more criminal to him than Zack or Aerith did, even though he had looked at that face so many times and condemned it. Somehow, it did not seem like he was looking at the same face. Some part of him wanted to believe that the cadet, and later the SOLDIER, he had come to love had returned. He seemed almost like he used to be, like a river running on and on; there were intense moments of rapids and also calm moments where the stream would pool and swirl, but it would always keep moving, and it was beautiful and powerful and soothing in all its stretches. It would run and run, and if you came close enough, it would sweep you away into places and wonders you never dreamed existed.

And it would keep running, on and on, from now until time's end. It would continue rushing until it reached the ocean.

* * *

_**fugue**__ 1) n. a musical form in which many voices play parallel to one another with very different melodies, developing and contrasting and harmonizing, making musical sense played together even though they are not similar at all. New voices join as the music progresses…._

**: End Chapter IV :**


	5. Del Capo al Coda

Disclaimer: I'm tiiired. I shouldn't be writing this when I'm tired. Or while I'm working. But I'm doing both. This is a little longer than the others on account of all the stuff I had to cram into this theme. So it took a little more time and it's long, but…that's alright. This chapter will serve as a turning point against chapters which will come…. I hope you enjoy it!

Oh yeah, I don't own anybody. I pwn them, but I don't own them. That would be slavery, which is frowned upon in most societies.

* * *

_For some reason, when Alice peered into the looking glass, she had noticed something strange. Her face in the world of the looking glass was much different than her true face. It was distorted and bizarre, like she was looking at a stranger. However, she reasoned, it was probable that the White Rabbit and the Mad Hatter and the March Hare and Tweedledum and Tweedledee thought the same thing of her real face. It seemed that oddity was, like beauty, in the eye of the beholder. Yet, something could be odd and still be beautiful…._

**Chapter V: Del Capo al Coda**

The first thing Cloud noticed was that his head was throbbing. The second thing was that his chest was searing with pain, and third, he couldn't feel his legs. At all.

He groaned. Sephiroth looked over from his seat at the window of the inn. Cloud opened his eyes slowly, taking his time to get used to the light streaming in from the window. Even looking around was painful. But then, a shadow crossed over the burning sunlight. His footsteps padded softly on the wood floors. "…You're awake."

Cloud watched him for a minute. _Sephiroth really _is _here…he _did_ save me…. _"Yeah…" he whispered. At the very least, it didn't hurt to speak.

Sephiroth studied him. "How do you feel?"

Cloud swallowed heavily. "…Like I got hit by a truck," he said; really just as the first analogy that came to mind.

Sephiroth blinked at him. And then…he laughed. It lasted only a fraction of a second, but he did laugh. Cloud's lips parted a bit, the least bit of his admiration for the man seeping into his face. That was the most beautiful sound in the world—and it was so very rare. Like the perfect sunrise…there were many, many, beautiful sunrises, one for every day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year. But once every century or so, one perfect sunrise came up over the horizon, one that bathes your very soul in warmth and locks you into that moment forever. Most people in the world never got to see one in their lives.

Half of the smile remained as Sephiroth shook his head. That expression on Cloud's face was so much like the one his precious cadet wore so often…. "You'll have to forgive me…I healed you enough that you would live through the night, but I left your ribs and your spine. I'm still not quite sure I trust my optimistic side yet, and I don't want to be taken by surprise. I take it you understand."

Cloud watched him, unsure of a moment, but then nodded slowly…before wincing at the pain. "Yeah…you remember things from my perspective…and I remember them from yours, right? Like, I tried to destroy the world and you were the one who saved it?"

"…That's the impression I'm under," the general answered, taking a seat at a chair next to the bed and clasping his hands, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees.

"Then yeah…I understand. I'd…probably do the same to you. No offense," Cloud added quickly.

Sephiroth spared him one of his rare half-smiles once more. "None taken."

Cloud took a moment in the silence that followed to look around the room. It was a generic inn room with flowers on the dresser and cheap curtains that looked like they were actually nice. The bed was soft and well-made, but smelled of industrial strength soap. It looked familiar, even if Cloud was pretty sure there wasn't an inn in the world he hadn't stayed in at least once. "Where are we?"

"This is Kalm."

Kalm…that made sense. Nice, quiet town…. Cloud looked to his rescuer—and perhaps captor. "May I ask you something?"

"Reserve that question for when you have something personal to ask, Strife." Sephiroth shifted, a little surprised at himself for taking the military tone with him again. After all, neither of them had been in SOLDIER in many, many years….

Cloud apparently noticed too; the corner of his mouth curled a bit as he said it and he seemed to relax slightly. "Of course, sir," he replied in the same tone.

The blonde braced himself a little, preparing himself for the question he was about to ask…and trying to prepare for the answer. Deciding it wouldn't make him feel better no matter what he expected the answer to be, he finally threw out, "Why don't you kill me now?"

Sephiroth pursed his lips, then sat up slowly, folding his arms. He contemplated, choosing his words carefully. When he did answer, he spoke slowly…cautiously. "…There are still some things I want to know first before I decide that."

Cloud waited, expecting him to elaborate, but he didn't. "Like…what kind of things?" he nudged carefully.

Again, Sephiroth paused before he answered. "…Why don't you tell me your life story?" he suggested finally. "Enlistment to…say…our last battle. How do you remember things happening?"

The crippled one bit his lip. "I wouldn't want to bore you, sir. It would probably just be your life story with a few skewed details."

"If it is, I'd like to know that."

Cloud looked away, up towards the ceiling. "My life story…?" He ran through the events in his mind quickly. Enlistment…befriending Zack…failing the exams…meeting Sephiroth…no, that's out of order…Nibelheim, Hojo's lab, escape and Zack's death…joining AVALANCHE, hooking up with Aeris, Cait Sith, Yuffie, Red XIII, Vincent and Cid, Aeris's death, the destruction of Midgar, fighting Sephiroth the second time, Kadaj…

"It started with you," he began honestly. "It started because I wanted to be just like you…."

* * *

"Who the hell is making all that racket?" Zack dragged himself out of bed.

"Oh…Zack…" Aerith cooed, already up and combing out her hair. "Don't be angry first thing in the morning; it'll ruin your whole day! Besides, it's nearly eleven o' clock. You should be up already, Mister!" she teased.

"Yes, Mom…" he groaned, though it was intended lightheartedly, as was everything he said. He went over to the window where the beeping sounds were coming from and looked out. There was a tow truck backing a bike into the—

"My bike!" Zack's face lit up. "That's my bike! Seph got my bike back!" Then, it quickly turned to a look of horror…. "Oh my gods…that's my _bike!_" he whined, running downstairs in nothing but his pajama pants. Aerith watched, confused, but then shrugged and continued brushing her hair. He'd get over whatever it was.

"That bastard Cloud wrecked my _baby_!! My _BIKE_!!"

Yep. He'd get over it.

* * *

"You fought me as I possessed Kadaj, defeated me, and Kadaj died in your arms," Sephiroth finished for him.

Cloud blinked. "Yeah. That's pretty much…everything." He ran through it in his head one more time; he didn't think he'd missed anything.

"So…you're saying Barrett and Tifa both lived, then?" Sephiroth asked. "And Aerith died?"

Cloud blinked, eyes widening just a little. "What…? You mean…Barrett died here?" Sephiroth nodded slightly. Cloud continued, "But…Marlene—!"

"Yes. Aerith and Zack are taking care of her and Denzel."

Cloud looked away. So Aeris lived, but everyone lost two friends instead…and Marlene lost her father…and it was his doing. He was the murderer who took her family away from her forever….

"Cloud…may I ask why you call her 'Aeris?'"

"Huh?" Cloud looked back at him, jerked from his daze. "Well…that's her name. Why do you call her 'Aerith?'"

Sephiroth blinked at him and shrugged. "That's…her name. At least, it is in_ this_ world." He studied Cloud for a few moments, trying to decide something. "Cloud…?" he began seriously, slowly, "…I'm going to tell you _my_ story. Most of it doesn't differ much from your story, but I'm going to go into greater detail in the beginning. After all, the difference between my loss of sanity and yours is a great difference indeed."

Cloud watched him, knowing from the look on his face that it was a difficult decision to tell him this. If Cloud was the one in his own universe, he reasoned, he would probably be just as uncomfortable. If what he said jogged the evil Sephiroth's memory in his own reality, he could lose that fragile period of peaceful sanity for good. The only reason he'd been able to tell Sephiroth his story so easily in this "other-world" was because he figured things couldn't possibly get any more fucked up than they already were.

"…You were the finest cadet in the force," he began.

Cloud blinked. "I was?" Sephiroth nodded in confirmation while Cloud looked only more incredulous. "I _definitely_ don't remember that part."

Sephiroth nodded again, this time in understanding, before beginning to speak:

* * *

You were incredible. There was no technique that you couldn't master the first few times, if not the first time you practiced it. From what Zack had told me, you were also modest, sometimes even awkward in conversation, yet bold and fearless in battle. He even went so far as to say you might equal or surpass me someday…that I may finally have a future sparring partner, or at least an heir to my position. I didn't believe him, of course, but I _was_ curious. I decided to come down from my tower, quite literally, to see this much talked-about cadet for myself.

Needless to say, you didn't disappoint. I watched you from the stands in the practice gymnasium as all of the rumors came true in front of me. At first, you seemed a little clumsy and shy, but when you picked up your sword, suddenly I saw an unbelievable amount of grace and power in you and an intensity in your eyes, almost as though you were a different person. Your technique was certainly unmatched, and I could see untapped potential still waiting to be developed there. Even as strong as you were, there were latent talents there that it didn't seem you were even aware of.

I approached you after that session. After what I'd just seen, you have no idea how amusing it was to watch you drop your sword at the sight of me and scramble into attention. 'G-general Se-Sephiroth…s-s-sir!' you managed to stammer out. I nearly laughed at you, but I was afraid you might faint from nerves.

'At ease, Cadet.' I came forward a little more, slowly, attempting the stance of a civilian to try and make you more relaxed. It seemed to work for the most part, but I could still see you shaking and your eyes darting anywhere and everywhere _but_ directly at me. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Zack give you a thumbs-up. You gave him a nauseous sort of look, unaware that I'd also noticed. Then again, Zack never was the most subtle person in the world.

'Tell me…have you practiced sword technique before, Cadet Strife?'

You finally looked me in the eye, shaking your head frantically. 'N-no, sir. That is…not outside ShinRa, sir.' It was strange…I don't think either of us was able to look away again at that point.

'Never? You seem as though you have a good deal of experience. I don't suppose you have any idea why?'

'N-no, sir…. I…have no idea, sir.'

'Have you played any sports? Been in fights? Anything physical at all?'

'Well…I used to exercise…but no sports, sir. My hometown isn't big enough for that. And…I've never gotten in a fight, sir. Not where I was throwing the punches, at least….'

You suddenly clammed up, like you'd said too much. I noticed, and pursued. 'What do you mean?'

'I…wasn't very strong when I was younger, sir. I'm still not that strong. But I'm getting better, so…what happened then doesn't matter.' With some difficulty, you were able to break eye contact. '…Sir,' you added quickly, as an afterthought.

I watched you for a moment and realized a little of what you meant. I took it that you didn't get along well with the other kids when you were younger. That was your business, so I didn't pursue it any longer, but it did surprise me that you were unable to defend yourself. What surprised me more, though…. 'You say…you don't believe you're strong now.'

'Well, I'm nothing compared to you, sir,' you blurted out. The suddenly horrified look on your face told me you believed you'd said too much once again. Your face bloomed into red.

That remark tugged at my lips just a little, though it wasn't my practice to just give out a smile to every cadet who told me that. I got that all the time, but for some reason, coming from you…it was interesting to me that you actually had the potential to reach my heights. Usually, the truly skilled cadets knew of me, but it was mostly those without talent who were driven by the hope of becoming like me. It made them into hard workers, even if they weren't quite SOLDIER quality. But you…you had the talent _and_ the drive: a combination that might have given you the ability to reach me.

'That's true. You're nothing compared to me,' I said to you. Usually, I would give the cadets some encouragement out of pity, but you were a special case. I watched the pain flash across your face and continued quickly to ease it, 'But you, unlike these other cadets and even many of SOLDIER, could become much, much more than that.' You looked up at me then with a mixture of hope and uncertainty in your eyes. 'You have talent. Now, do something with it. Become stronger. Never take "good enough." If you want to reach me, then come and get me.' Your eyes were wide at this point. You looked pretty beside yourself. I smirked down at your expression and added, to get a response, 'Understood, Cadet?'

You blinked twenty times in a single second and managed to stammer, 'A-ah—y-yessir!' You saluted clumsily, and I nodded to you and left.

I'll have you know I was getting crap about that little incident from Zack, Hojo, and just about every other SOLDIER with the guts and the rank to talk to me about it for the next week. It was mostly Zack, granted. I don't doubt that you received quite a bit of it from your peers yourself.

I met with you regularly to check on your progress after that. You got better and better, and eventually you were able to practice sword-to-sword with me and not pass out after a single hit. You even managed to parry a few times. Of course, you passed the SOLDIER exam with flying colors and quickly advanced in rank. Don't look at me like that—it happened differently the way I remember it. You know that.

As I was saying, you quickly rose to the point that you'd gotten the attention of most of the facility. People started whispering that you might be my successor. Hojo, of course, was disappointed because it meant an outsider who had received no mako from birth could progress at the same rate as his creation, thus reducing its—_my_—value. Then again, nobody, especially me, gave a damn about how he felt about the situation. You were a stellar addition to the force, possibly as much as I was; that was all anyone cared about.

_(Just in my thoughts…I wouldn't dare say this to you, Cloud…I can't believe I'm admitting it to myself…but that wasn't all I cared about. I was growing attached to you. You were gentle and quirky and you didn't constantly get on my nerves the way Zack did…you seemed infatuated with me in a way Genesis and Angael never were…my closest friends began to pale as a new addition to my life trickled, little by little, between the cracks of the stone around my heart. It was never deliberate or intentional from either of us…it just seemed to happen. I'd felt like there was always something missing in my life…something that should have meant more than battle or the fragile companionships I formed with my comrades…and you were….)_

What? Ah…sorry. No, nothing's wrong. I just…got lost in thought for a moment. I'm skipping quite a few details, and it's hard to pass over the memories. Yes…you're right. It's exactly like that.

Where was I? Oh…well…yes. The most important thing here is, of course…_Nibelheim_.

'Sit down, Cloud.'

You turned to me. 'Sorry…I'm a little restless, Sir.' You sat down, but then immediately got up and started pacing around the truck bed again.

'This is your hometown, isn't it?' I asked. You nodded. I remembered what you had told me before. 'Are you afraid to face your past?'

You fidgeted a little more. 'I can defend myself now,' you explained with some difficulty, '…but I don't have many happy memories there. Don't tell anyone this…I'd probably get in trouble, but…whenever the older kids…or even the younger kids…would start beating on me…I would run away and sneak into the reactor. The machinery was loud and I was pretty sure there was plenty in there to get me killed or sick, but it was warm…and better yet, nobody knew I was there. I was alone, where I was happiest….'

I looked to Zack, who returned the glance. You had alluded to some of this before, but you had never spoken so openly with us. 'None of them ever said or did a kind thing for me,' you continued when we didn't say anything. 'They couldn't even just ignore me. My mother never believed me when I told her…she just brushed me off. I watched the other cadets cry to their mothers over the phone that first week of boot camp…and I laughed. Just to myself. They had never known pain before, and now they were getting it. It was kind of…satisfying. At the same time, I felt like there was something wrong with me. There had to be if I was the only one who was laughing….'

I didn't know what to say to you then. It wasn't exactly my forte…giving others words of comfort. Besides, I had my own reservations about coming here. Zack, of course, tried to cheer you up. It worked to some extent, but you were still pretty dismal. When we arrived, I said you could visit your family if you wished, but you didn't care to…as expected. So I stayed in the inn with you, and we brooded together…yet alone.

We went up to the reactor the next day. Tifa offered to guide us, but obviously you knew the way, so we went alone. You didn't say much on the trip. When we arrived at the reactor, we went inside and saw the capsules.

'It was here,' you said in passing. 'I curled up right under that one on the right…I don't think I could fit under there now.' It was the first thing you'd said in a while.

I asked Zack to peer into it, as you said in your story, and fix the leak. I had to deal with the fact that I recognized these creatures. I did slash at them a little, like you said. The way you spoke of your childhood reminded me of my own…the way I never really experienced much of a childhood. It was disconcerting to the both of us to see these creatures, but somehow the shared pain…must have calmed me a little. But you…I guess you saw the way I acted and…well, you must have slipped out when Zack and I were speaking. Since you'd been quiet the entire trip, we didn't notice until well after you'd left. Without a guide, it took us a good while longer to get back, even if your footprints were pretty easy to follow without a whole lot of wind or snow. The real problem was that we didn't find you in the town.

We searched everywhere for you, and eventually I went down to the library in the ShinRa Mansion. The door was bolted shut. I called out to you and didn't get a response, but I did hear you shuffling around in there. I decided to leave you alone for the time being. Though I wanted to know about the creatures myself, I knew you were in as much of a right state as I was. I wish now that I hadn't left you alone….

Waiting gave me some time to clear my thoughts, just sitting around town and waiting for you to emerge. In the mean time, I wandered around ShinRa Mansion to see what else I could find…and I found someone in the basement. It was Vincent Valentine, as you may have guessed. He recognized me almost immediately and, through some back-and-forth conversation, he revealed that he could tell me about my past. I got a much more enlightened version from him than I'm sure you…and the 'other me' from your memories…got from reading those nearly-occult texts by yourself.

Several days passed. One night, I caught sight of you heading back up to the reactor. Zack and I followed you secretly, because we were afraid to spook you and start you running if you were really unstable. We got there and found things about how you described them in your story…Tifa's father laid dead and you stood before Jenova in the next room. You looked up at her…with a strange look in your eyes. I'll never forget the eerie light that reflected off of them that night.

'Sephiroth…look! It's Mother…they kept her imprisoned here for so long…' You ran your fingers over the glass tank. 'I know now…why I was different, Sephiroth. Why _you_ were different. It was because…we were promised a land from Mother. The Promised Land…it belongs to us.'

'Cloud…what are you talking about?' I knew then that Jenova was not my mother, thanks to Vincent. The state of her only proved his wild claims that she wasn't even from this world. I seriously doubted she could be your mother….

'Don't you see? You and I…we're different. We transcend the others in this world. We were born as the Ancients were…yes…we _are_ the Ancients…the last on the Planet….'

I shook my head. What you were saying was off the wall. 'Cloud…you're not yourself….'

'But I am!' You turned to face me. 'I'm more myself than I ever was…than I ever have been! I've found my true origins…my true destiny…my destiny to take Mother to the Promised Land and…destroy this corrupt world that has tainted it.'

I looked on to you in horror. 'Destroy this world? What's gotten into you?'

'Come with me, Sephiroth!'

'What?!' I took a step back.

'The Promised Land belongs to you, too! We can go there, together with Mother…we can rid the world of all the hateful people and monsters and go there to live forever….' You reached out a hand to me, but I only stepped back again. 'Please, Sephiroth! These people treated you like you weren't even human! But we can rise above humanity! Please…come with me!'

I watched you, torn between my loyalty to you and the knowledge that what you were saying was pure madness. I hesitated too long. Zack jumped in at that point to stop you when I should have been the one to say it.

'Cloud, that's crazy talk! You can't just destroy the world! There are good people here too!'

You glanced to him with a bored look on your face. 'They aren't important. They don't matter.'

Zack looked hurt. 'Cloud…what are you saying? Don't _**I**_ matter?'

You thought about it for a few moments too short. 'No. Not to Mother. You can go with the rest of the world if you really love it so much.'

That certainly did it for me…the Cloud I knew…would never say something like that. The Cloud I knew held human life above all things. He had a soft spot for kids and never passed up an opportunity to rescue a damsel in distress…and all for the right reasons. He was awkward and had a limited vocabulary…even when he was in a position of high honor and epic greatness, the words that came out of his mouth were still just the small-town country babble of his youth. And…they were never cruel words. He'd lost his mind, and his heart and soul had gone with it. That is…you. You'd lost your mind. And then…I was powerless to bring you back. It…will haunt me…for as long as I live.

* * *

"We did battle…and the rest of the story is basically the same. Vincent emerged sooner and came to find us when we left Midgar, but the majority of it was exactly as you said. That and Tifa and Barrett…well. You know about that. Zack and Aerith lived, and their lives were traded for two of our dearest friends."

Cloud remained silent, staring at Sephiroth. He was a little beside himself—what Sephiroth had told him wasn't exactly what he'd been expecting. That is…he'd been expecting Sephiroth to say he went crazy, but….

"So, there you have it," he said, sighing. Sephiroth visibly relaxed as he ended the conversation. "So…are you still feeling sane?"

Cloud nodded slightly, even though it hurt a bit. "Yes…" He paused, then confirmed, "Yeah…I know I'm sane. That all sounded nutty to me. I mean, what I said. Supposed…to said. Have said. And stuff," he fumbled.

A slight smile appeared on the general's face…this time a genuine one rather than a smirk. "Yes…you're sane. You still try to speak heroically and end up sounding like a hick."

The river flowed and flowed, and a few more cracks appeared in the stone. The warmth trickled in once more with the breach of the defenses. It wrapped around his heart and bathed it in sweet, pure water, filling in the gaps. Soon the heart would be whole.

* * *

Someone cried for a lost brother in the solitude. Someone recited the lines of a play in the silence. Someone tinkered with remains and played with the idea of resurrection. Someone waited in the darkness under glass, waiting for rebirth. He would not be daunted by a double.

* * *

_**del capo al coda**_ _1) n. a musical command instructing to return to the beginning and play to the coda mark; from there, the player jumps forward to play a different ending entirely._

**: End Chapter V :**


	6. Dissonance

Disclaimer: I have a sort of…mini-chapter that I forgot to add to chapter III or IV…it doesn't really have anything to do with the main plot, but it's a little diddy I thought I should keep. I've added it to the beginning of Chapter IV (so that it didn't screw up the chapter numbering), so check it out if you have time. Oh, and—speaking of things I forgot to write—in case anyone noticed, evil Cloud used to sit under the very capsule that was leaking mako as a child…so he was getting heavy monster-sized doses since he was little. Sounds like someone else we know?

And in other news, the chapters just keep getting longer. This one is kinda really long. So sorry. XD

Oh, and by the way—if I owned FFVII or Alice in Wonderland, I would be sitting pretty right now, not sitting exhausted writing fanfiction…hehe.

* * *

_The White Rabbit began to slow his run and Alice began to resign herself to this strange place. They were happy together…oh so happy in this game of tag and hide and seek. It seemed that the card soldiers had gone away for good and they could spend their lives without worrying about the beautiful garden. Don't get too comfortable, you two! The Red Queen is moving…._

**Chapter VI : Dissonance**

"You smell like dirt and blood. Go take a shower."

Sephiroth was, if nothing, honest. Cloud sighed. "Taking a shower is going to be a little complicated. There's a reason I smell like blood, you know. I'm still paralyzed, remember?"

"Hm…you're right." Sephiroth nodded and took out his cure materia. A green light surrounded Cloud, who breathed deeply as he felt that healthy sting of the wounds reweaving themselves. He lifted his head and arms slightly to make sure, then wiggled his feet. He sat up slowly, taking care for the blood rush, and carefully stood up.

He nearly collapsed nearly immediately.

"Cloud! Are you alright?" Sephiroth asked.

Cloud stood up, shaking a little. "You…you kept the status ailments on!"

Sephiroth's face softened in recognition. "Ah…that. Well, I'm feeling a little more optimistic than before, but I'm not going to be careless." He smirked a little. "You want me to help you undress?"

Cloud looked back at him, eyes wide. His face grew hot, flushing to a bright shade of red. Sephiroth nearly laughed…nearly. "I'm kidding, Strife. You know that."

"Uh…y-yeah," Cloud stammered. "Yeah, I know…I mean…you would never say…something like that…y'know, seriously…." He managed to peel his shirt off with a little difficulty. "But…really…you're not the type to joke—oh. Zack rubbed off on you, didn't he?" _That's right…he's alive and they've been hanging around each other…._

Sephiroth thought about it. "…I suppose so. Though, Cid's dirty mouth doesn't help much."

Cloud gave up a nervous sort of half-laugh. "I…I see. That makes more sense." He made his way carefully over to the bathroom door, but continued to fumble with his belt. "Godsdamnit…" he muttered under his breath. He sighed, taking a deep breath and trying again…but Darkness status didn't help his finger accuracy.

Sephiroth watched him, lowering his eyes to the other's abdomen. Raising an eyebrow, he came closer to Cloud. The two were barely centimeters apart when he planted his feet in one place before him. He raised one hand to brush the area with his finger. "What is this from?" he asked.

"Huh?" Cloud looked down carefully, only all too aware that the wrong head angle could put them even more awkwardly close than was necessary. He noticed the old, small, yet prominent scar there. "Oh…that. That's…from a long time ago. That …." _Best to just take an awkward situation head-on, I guess…._ "It's…from Masamune."

Sephiroth blinked. "Masamune?" he repeated.

"Yeah."

"But you said you didn't lose…that you killed me."

"Yeah. I didn't lose. That's…kind of how I killed you." Cloud noticed the confused look on his face and added, "It's…complicated. I thought I was gonna die with you, in the reactor. But…."

"Shit happens?"

"Yeah. That and Hojo."

"Like I said: shit."

Cloud laughed shortly, hollowly. He was glad they at least felt the same way about that bastard.

Sephiroth looked back down to his belt. "I'm…sorry about the wound."

"Don't be." Cloud shook his head, speaking softly. "It…wasn't really you, as far as I'm concerned."

"I wish I could believe that as readily as you can," the other admitted.

The younger one shrugged. "It's a little easier knowing that I have no choice. Y'know…since I'm trapped in this reality and everyone thinks I'm a mass murderer. I figure I can't make things worse by believing in crazy stuff as long as I'm in a crazy world."

Sephiroth's mouth twitched and threatened to reveal a smile. "Crazy world, huh?"

As silence came over them, Cloud became more and more acutely aware of their closeness. Cloud, however, found himself in no mood to complain. For the first time in a very long time, he felt as though they were at some sort of…understanding. It may have been the first time. He let his head move forward a bit and felt the gap between silver and gold close as a white curtain came over his eyes and their foreheads touched….

"Cloud…?"

Cloud jerked his head up and away from Sephiroth's brow. "Sorry…I'm kinda woozy."

"You do look flushed. Maybe you should lie down for a while longer…."

"No…I need to bathe." Cloud reached for the doorknob to the bathroom—missed the first time, stumbling—and clutched it. "I'll wash up…and then…well, whatever," he mumbled. "Thanks…." He went in and shut the door behind him, thoroughly shamed.

Sephiroth watched him, and then listened to the leather slump to the floor. He felt his pulse speed up. _The battle high again?_ he wondered. _No…it's…not quite as tense. Besides, Cloud is helpless right now, even if I really can't trust him. There's no reason I __should feel uncomfortable. I have Masamune with me…and his sword and materia, as well. Zack's bike is back in Edge, and Cloud can't even undress himself. Unless it was a trick? No…Cloud isn't that complex. That is, he's pretty straightforward. If he wanted to kill me, he would've let me know by now._

_So why do I feel…?_

* * *

The younger brother of the two remaining looked town at their youngest. He was under glass, in a strange bluish-green fluid. There was mako in there, among other things. He brushed his long, silver hair over his shoulder and repositioned himself. The boy in the capsule looked restless as well.

"Yazoo," the oldest brother asked, emerging from the darkness of the laboratory, "when is Kadaj going to wake up?"

"I don't know," Yazoo answered truthfully. He'd tried "soon" so many times that he'd gotten sick of the word.

"He'll wake up sometime after this one wakes," a voice echoed from the shadows across the room.

A single pod illuminated the back of the room with a sickly, greenish light, silhouetting the hand gesturing to it. That pod was bolted against the wall, whereas the others were mounted to the floor like coffins. The figure inside, larger than the others, watched over them in slumber like a god.

"Could Mother wake too?" Loz asked the shrouded voice.

"Hm…that may be a little more difficult…but…sure. I don't see why not."

"I don't care if Mother wakes anymore…" the younger brother sighed.

"Yazoo! How could you say that? That was Kadaj's dream! _Our_ dream!" Loz protested.

"It was his dream before he _died_," Yazoo snapped tiredly, turning away. "Our dream doesn't matter unless he's part of it…."

"Oh…he'll be part of it," the third voice of the shrouded figure cooed. "When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end, the goddess descends from the sky, wings of light and dark spread afar…she guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting."

"Could you quit talking like that?" Loz whined. "It makes no sense!"

"I'm saying," came the reply, "that the true monsters must be revitalized to bring this gift…." The other two remained silent, pensive, so the shrouded one continued, "What do you think of the new variable, Yazoo?"

"Nii-san…seems to think he comes from…an alternate universe of some sort," Yazoo replied hesitantly. "Do you think that's at all reasonable?"

The one in darkness turned to them in such away that only his mouth was illuminated in the pale green light, curling slowly, deliberately, yet naturally, into a smirk. The lips parted and a gleeful sound developed, first just within his throat, then growing and at last bursting forth into a powerful, strange laughter. "Yes, my friends! We've found it! The gift is near, indeed."

Loz blinked. "You mean…Kadaj will come back soon?" Tears came to his eyes for just a moment, but he blinked them back. "What should we do?"

The third turned back to the standing pod. "Make our variable comfortable…for now. Make him _very_ comfortable. So much so that he will never wish to return. Let him _begin a life of seclusion with her which seems to hold the promise of eternal bliss_."

* * *

The day passed.

Cloud stood in front of the door, uneasy. The status effects certainly didn't help, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that no matter how much faith Sephiroth had in his story or how settled he'd become with the nature of his situation, the people behind that door still believed he was a psychotic mass murderer. Those people were his friends.

"Relax," Sephiroth attempted. "They called me earlier…they're confused too. They just need clarification about what's going on." Of course, he hadn't answered the phone…but he always kept it with him. "It'll be alright. If they try to kill you, I'll protect you."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Cloud muttered, looking up at the familiar Seventh Heaven logo above the door, avoiding his eyes and the entryway itself. Sephiroth just shook his head disapprovingly.

"This is so much like you. You never like to stare the real problem in the face. You drift and dilly-dally until you're _forced_ to take action."

Cloud looked away, knowing it was true. He'd heard it so many times before, and so many people had died because of it. The only thing he'd ever been able to focus on was…

Sephiroth's hand gripped the back of his neck gently. "I've…been drifting as well." The blonde finally looked up at him. "Standing out here won't make matters better. Neither will just moving and trying to avoid it. I know that now…" he continued. "You've got to be going _somewhere_…or else you're going _nowhere_. And that's…just common sense."

Cloud nodded his head slowly, breathing slowly and deeply. He was shaking…but Sephiroth's hand felt warm. As much as he was alone in this, somehow the presence of his old hero made him feel as though he wasn't. Though he had looked at Sephiroth as an enemy all those years, his touch was reassuring, and even if his words just made him feel worse because he already knew their truth and it pained him, his voice was soothing and empowering. He reached to the door handle and swung the door in.

Sephiroth followed Cloud across the threshold immediately, simultaneous with the shocked scramble and scrape of the people and furnishings inside. The party of once-heroes, which now included the recently informed Yuffie, Cid, and Nanaki, looked at the two with wide eyes, having been ready to battle on the entrance of the first, but now unsure with the entrance of the second. Sephiroth, their most trusted hero, now stood behind their most hated enemy. And they were still confused by that enemy's very existence.

Zack was the first to step up. "Uh…Seph?" he asked feebly. "You…look like you figured out what…uh…_he's_ doing here?"

Cloud looked over to Zack and froze, rooted to the spot. He didn't hear Sephiroth's reply if there was one. Those soft, familiar, blue eyes shifted between him and Sephiroth, brimming with heart and spirit just as they had been before going cold and glassy. Even in his confusion and hesitation, he looked to be the hero he'd always been to Cloud. He could see the smile on his lips even though he wasn't wearing it, and the puppy-like blink of his lashes, innocent and genuine, though he kept his eyes wide. His face wasn't covered in blood or his chest filled over with bullets. There was no rain to pale the vibrant color of his face or silence the bell-tone sound of his voice. He choked.

"See? I _told_ you it was the alternate universe thing, Vince!" he said, turning away from the two of them. Vincent said something to the effect that he wasn't convinced, and Zack took a few strides toward the brooding one. As he passed out of Cloud's line of sight, he saw the angel behind him…Aeris—no, Aerith—stood there, looking at him curiously, but not with harsh or judgmental eyes. She clasped her hands together at her breast gingerly, like she had done before she had been torn out of Cloud's life forever.

Not forever. There she was.

"Lower your weapons. I've sedated him. Even if he wanted to fight us, he couldn't take us all on in his state."

"Yeah, he looks pretty bad…." Zack shook his head. "I…is that really Cloud, though? _Our_ Cloud? Is…is he really back to normal?"

"I'd say he was never really _ab_normal. Not in his world."

"Well, I'll be damned," Cid muttered, pulling his cigarette out of his mouth. Nanaki flattened his ears and stiffened up, but noticed by sheer animal instinct that there was something different. Yuffie just stared, wide-eyed and gaping.

"Forget about my doubts. How is it that you, as cold and apathetic as you are, can just trust his story?" Vincent demanded of Sephiroth, turning his piercing stare to his son. "You have no reason to believe him and plenty of reason not to believe him. Besides, do you really think a few status effects will stop him if he really wants to wreak havoc? You've got to be in a right mental state to try and take him on now."

Sephiroth didn't say anything for a moment. "I know him," he finally said, with a slight edge of annoyance to his voice. "I know him better than _any_ of you. I was the one driven to find him and kill him and I was the one who suffered most when I accomplished that end. You think I can't look him in the eyes and know that this isn't the man that I loathed and feared and chased those many years?"

Vincent sighed. "I'm only saying…that he was dear to you before he lost himself. I don't want you to lose _your_self…or anyone else, for that matter…blindly trusting…."

"Does…look…man…years ago?!"

"…same…but his…smells like…."

"…want him back…as much as…but….good to be true…."

"…don't you listen…he has…? …could tell…I…."

"..Well, Damnit…!"

Cloud was only vaguely aware of the hum of troubled voices around him. They blurred so he only caught small bits of the conversation as Aerith took a few cautious steps toward him, as though he was a forest creature that might bolt if she made any sudden movements. She reached out a little, as though to ask silent permission to pet his coat. Cloud felt his eyes burn and blinked to ease his blurring vision. His throat grew tight and a knot formed behind his nose as her lips parted.

"Cloud?" She placed a tiny hand on his arm, just barely touching him. "Are you…alright now?"

His legs gave out.

Cloud took hold of her soft hand as he fell to his knees and pressed its back to his brow, his body quaking, sobbing silently into her flawless skin. She stumbled forward a bit with the sudden pull, but at the same moment found herself overwhelmed with sympathy for him. Aerith took her other hand and stroked his hair as the debate came to a mystified standstill.

"Y-you're alive…you're both…really alive…!" he stammered.

Aerith looked up at Zack uncertainly, who returned an even more bewildered stare. He came to the blonde curiously, a bit of pity beginning to creep into his eyes as well. Last time he checked, mass murderers generally didn't fall to the ground before their victims, targets, and enemies bawling for joy at the sight of their faces. Just…in general. Typically didn't happen.

"Hey…don't…y'know…_cry_. I mean…you're the ultimate badass, for the gods' sake!" Zack stammered, taken by surprise by this reaction.

"I…without you…I…!" Cloud shook his head. "I thought…I'd lost everything at—at Nibelheim…but...I was wrong…I was so wrong…."

Sephiroth bent down and gripped his shoulder. "Cloud. Get a hold of yourself," he said firmly. "You're not making yourself look very sane like this."

As if in response to a direct military order, Cloud took one long sniff and tensed his body to stop the shaking, taking deep breaths to try and relax himself quickly. He released Aerith's hand, taking his one sleeve and wiping it once across his face. "Y-yessi—uh…yeah. I mean…a-alrighty…."

He remained on the floor, obedient and at their mercy, staring up at his two beloved friends, though unable to look them in the eye. The others looked around at each other. If Aerith and Zack had had any doubts before, they were thoroughly convinced now. Cid and Yuffie, who hadn't believed their story before, started to wonder. Even Vincent's mind was opened, watching the pitiful display of the one before him who seemed now more boy than man.

Nanaki came over to test him next. He padded forward cautiously, haunches tensed for fight or flight if needed. Once he'd come to a safe distance, he sniffed. Then, he crept another step closer and sniffed again. He repeated the process several times until he was close enough to touch him.

"Jenova's stink doesn't hang on him like it used to," he observed in a low growl. "He smells kind of floral, actually."

"So…the destroyer of worlds has taken up gardening now?" Vincent asked, though the cynical twinge in his voice had weakened.

"It's…the church," Cloud whispered. All eyes turned on him; he hadn't really volunteered much conversation before, and now he was actually offering something. "There are flowers…that Aeris planted in the church. I've been caring for them…since she died…."

Nanaki relaxed a little and sat next to him. His animal instincts were telling him to trust, even though his brain was telling him not to. When it came right down to it, though, his instincts were always more accurate. He was convinced.

Zack and Aerith exchanged blinking glances and returned to looking down at Cloud. "So…I'm really dead in your world?" she asked innocently.

Cloud nodded. "And Zack." He shook his head slowly. "Zack…got shot down by ShinRa soldiers. You…well…Sephiroth came down behind you…." He shut his eyes tightly, dropping his head. "I…tried to reach out to you…you were both right there…in front of me…but…I couldn't…there was nothing…."

He trailed off. A silence filled the room.

"Well!" Cid interjected loudly, cutting through it. "If that ain't the biggest goddamn load ah bullshit I've ever heard!" He flicked his cigarette away. "No offense kiddo, but as big and powerful as you are, you ain't that smart and you can't act worth a damn." He grinned. "I believe ya."

Yuffie blinked herself out of her stupor. "Uh…well…I never thought I'd see _you_ cry!" she offered. "I guess…if the others trust you, I can too!" She hopped up out of her seat and danced over to where she was, reaching out to touch him—

Cloud grabbed her wrist on reflex. The others tensed for a moment, wondering if maybe they'd been wrong…. He looked up at her. "Thanks, Yuffie," he said softly, "I'm glad that you believe me…I really am…but I'd like to keep my money this time, if that's alright."

She blinked at him. And then…she giggled. In a fit of delight, she exclaimed, "You really _are_ a good version of Cloud! Only people who know me ever catch me! And you never, _ever_ caught me when you were evil! So I guess you _must_ be telling the truth!"

Vincent stared disbelievingly at her and her incredible simplicity and cheerfulness. He shook his head. "I'm sorry…but I refuse to be so easily convinced of this miraculous conversion."

Sephiroth started to protest, but Cloud cut him off. "It's okay," he said. "I'd be worried…if you did trust me. After all, I think I trust you most of anyone…and…you always do what you think is best for everyone…."

"Don't try to make sweet talk."

"I'm not," Cloud said honestly. He was actually a little relieved. It had seemed almost too easy to gain everyone's trust. At least he knew that Vincent could be counted on to stay steady and true, no matter what reality he lived in. The trials that came with this world…Tifa and Barrett's loss, Vincent's distrust, the pain of his motor accident and the status effects afterward…also made this world seem less like a dream and more like a tangible reality.

"I still don't trust you."

Shrug. "Alright."

"Fine. Then we're at an understanding."

"Yeah. Something like that…."

Vincent nodded a little, taken aback by the total lack of dissent from his enemy. He resituated his stance a little in discomfort and then turned on his heel with one hand on his holster. He turned to the stairs, but then backed up, not very pleased with what ran into his legs.

The two kids peered into the room before they could be steered away. Marlene ran to cling to Vincent's pants while Denzel stood perfectly still. "Uncle Vinny," Marlene whispered, frightened beyond consolation, "i-is—is that—?!"

Cloud paled. _Marlene. That's right…no matter how much convincing I do, there's no way I can bring Barrett back for her sake. There's no way I can make an excuse for that or explain to her that the man who killed her father had a change of heart. The truth might be too complex for a child to understand…._

"Uh…Marlene! It's okay!" Zack piped up quickly. "This…this isn't Cloud. No way. Just…looks like him. See, uh…you're looking at the only survivor of Nibelheim. He was actually part of Cloud's family…that's why they look so much alike. But he was with me and Seph that day, so he didn't get killed. We just now found him. Really, though, he and Cloud are nothing alike!"

Sephiroth shifted a little uncomfortably, but chimed in, trying to seem natural, "He was a SOLDIER candidate years ago…but he was never skilled enough to make it." He continued to try and recall elements of the story Cloud had told him. "That's why you probably haven't heard of him. He actually fought against Jenova just as we did. Went on the same adventures." Then, he added for effect, "He was very, very close to Tifa and Barrett. Actually, I think you've met before…but you were very young then. I don't think you would remember."

Marlene looked around at the others, still frightened. Denzel worked up the nerve to move close enough to take her hand. "Wh…who is he?" he asked. "What's his name?"

"Uh…" Zack turned to face Cloud. "Well…it's not Cloud…it's uh…. It's Rayne!" He nodded. "Rayne Strife. 'Cause, didn't your mom have a thing with rainy days or something? And so that's why you and your…uh…brother…were Cloud and Rayne. Like…Rayne-Cloud."

Cloud gave him a strange look and then nodded slowly. Aerith skipped over to the kids. "Hey…Rayne just got in so he's probably really tired. You two should be in bed, anyway. You can talk to him in the morning, alright?"

They unlatched from Vincent's pants and onto Aerith's skirt. The three of them climbed up the stairs, still a little awkwardly. Cloud turned to Zack when they had gone. "Rain?" he asked quietly. "Isn't that…a girl's name?"

"Hey now, Spike! It's only a girl's name when you spell it R-A-I-N. _I'm_ spelling it R-A-Y-N-E. Gods, don't you know the differe—hey! How come you're crying again? What'd I do _now_?"

Cloud smiled a little. "I'm not crying…it's just…that old name…I…I never thought I'd hear it again."

Zack jerked his head back in genuine surprise. "What? You mean someone else called you Rayne before?"

This time, the blonde chuckled a little. "No, stupid!" he laughed, using the insult innocently and lightly. "I mean Spike…I mean Spike…."

Zack looked down at him and smiled. "Good lord." He shook his head. "You really are. You really are our Cloud." The blonde smiled back up at him. "But you know what?" he asked.

"What?"

"You owe me a new bike."

* * *

_**dissonance**__ 1) two notes, usually close together, yet very different, that clash when played together and must be somehow resolved_

**: End Chapter VI :**


	7. Suspension

Disclaimer: …hehe. Copyright is a distant memory to me…or is it not even a memory and only a dream…? Thank you to everyone for your comments and reviews! That's what keeps me writing!!

If you had any hope that shounen-ai/boy love/yaoi wouldn't be featured, abandon all hope now. It starts right here.

* * *

_Alice and the white rabbit laid together in bliss, without care or worry or any doubt that there might be a reason to. The red queen moved her card soldiers to find the little door that would lead them to the outside world. In the mean time, the black queen began to recognize her surroundings. The awakening had begun, and Wonderland would not save…._

**Chapter VII : Suspension**

"Do you really think that crazy 'Rayne' story will work?"

"It'll suffice. We can't call you 'Cloud' in the outside world, even if your story is true. Too many people died. People who never knew you could never forgive."

Cloud nodded a little. As depressing as that fact was, however, he couldn't help but feel happy in a surreal sort of way. "Is this…real?"

"What do you mean?" Sephiroth continued to fix up the bed, not turning to look at him.

"This…this whole thing. I mean, you and Zack and Aeris…alive and well…. It seems just…too good to be real."

Sephiroth turned to him. "It doesn't bother you at all that you're a wanted criminal known for the betrayal and murder of thousands of people?"

Cloud shook his head. "All that just seems really…_insignificant_." He choked on his words for a moment. "I…I really felt…as though I'd lost all meaning…." And he whispered almost silently, "…_without you_."

"What was that?"

"N-nothing…." He looked away, his face getting hot. He could never look his hero in the eye and tell him something like _that_. Cloud was starting to feel like a little cadet again, being around the general so much and relapsing into the same awkwardness he'd been cursed by in that time.

The other straightened up, the last of the sheets in place. "And what about Barrett and Tifa? Do you mourn their loss?"

Cloud looked up. "Well…of course…but…I guess it just really…hasn't sunken in yet. I mean, to me they're still very much alive…and some part of me still believes that you and Zack and Aeris are still…well, you know."

That seemed to satisfy him, at least a little. "You're going to have a rough time. It'll be a miracle if you manage to keep from going criminally insane after all of this passes over. Speaking of which, now that we've established you aren't here to torment and kill us all in the name of an alien carcass, what are we going to do with you?"

"Uh…what?"

"Do you intend to just stay here? Or should we be looking for a way to…" His voice lowered in volume slightly. "…to send you back to your own world?"

Cloud blinked. _Send me back?_ Since coming here, he hadn't really thought about it that much. If this really was an alternate universe or whatnot, surely Tifa, Vincent, and all of the others back home would be worried. If the evil, insane Sephiroth from his own world returned and he wasn't around to stop him, would they really be able to defeat him on their own? Would it all be alright if he never came back?

_Of course it will. They're not babies. Banding together, their strength is more than twice Sephiroth's. I really believe that. They wouldn't let anyone down if they had to fight on their own._

_Besides…I was…never happy there. I saved the world. But…it wasn't saved for me. My world had already been destroyed…._

"Cloud?"

The blonde looked up. Sephiroth stood before him. Sephiroth, his hero, the man he held above all other men. They were equals now, unlike they'd been in ShinRa, and they were both sane and whole. And just down the hall, Aeris—_Aerith_—and Zack were right there, happy and alive, just as they'd always been. His dearest friends were still there.

"No," he answered at length. "I…don't want to go back. There's nothing there for me…." It was selfish, but he'd saved the whole goddamn world, hadn't he? He deserved to be at least a little more selfish than he had been in recent years.

"Nothing? Nothing at all?"

"Yeah…" Cloud confirmed. "There's nothing but emptiness there…."

"And what do you have here that fills that emptiness?" Cloud didn't give him an answer at first, so Sephiroth continued, "You know…Aerith and Zack are married now."

Cloud blinked, jerking his head up. "Really?" A nod from the general confirmed it. "That's…wow. They're married…? Do they have kids?"

"Not yet. But—trust me—they've certainly been trying quite a bit. They've been taking care of Denzel and Marlene like their own as well. They're like a family now…."

Cloud nodded. "That's…that's _great_," he said earnestly.

"It is?"

"Well, _yeah_. That's the happy ending that _should've_ happened…except they both got…."

"You're not at all jealous?"

Cloud looked taken aback. "Of…of course not. Why would I be?"

Sephiroth shifted a little. "You insinuated…being very attached to Aerith in your world."

The blonde thought about it. "I was…but I think it was more platonic. Anyway, I was still a little nuts, even though I wasn't as crazy as you. I thought I was Zack, remember?"

"So if that wasn't it, what do you have here?"

Shrug. "I don't know…well…that is…I…it's…complicated, I guess." It wasn't really _that_ complicated. Sephiroth was sane. His hero had returned, and this time not as a destroyer. That was all there really was to it. Sephiroth gave him all the meaning he needed.

When the general didn't reply, however, Cloud began to grow a little anxious. _He doesn't want me here_, he thought to himself uncomfortably. _He's accepted who I am, but he's not alright with me being here. My face is something horrible to him. It just means pain and death._ He reminded himself momentarily that those thoughts might just stem from a temporary bout of paranoia, but he wasted little time in realizing that it was probable not for just Sephiroth, but for the rest of them as well. He could neither claim that he belonged here, nor that he was welcome here, regardless of any willingness of his to stay here for the rest of his life if he could, leaving his home and his past behind.

"If it…if it makes you uncomfortable, I'll go back," Cloud muttered. _If you can't be happy as I can be, my reason for living here means nothing…._

"No," Sephiroth cut him off. It seemed a little too quick, and maybe a little strained. "It…it doesn't bother me. It's…a nice change, actually. A little…_relieving_…that you're in your right mind." He recovered himself, "Are…are you sure you don't want to go back? You want to just…forget that life and the people there? For this life?"

Cloud watched him, unsure of what his reaction meant. "Yeah…I'm sure…" he said cautiously. "I…never really did them any good when I wasn't chasing you…that was…my purpose, I guess. It was the only reason I had to stick around…."

"…You really believe that?"

"It's…hard to explain."

"I can be patient."

Cloud looked into his eyes, trying to find something that said he didn't actually have to try and tell him how he felt. Unfortunately, he found the other seemed completely serious. He opened his mouth to attempt and false-started a few times. Finally, he settled on, "I…get this…_high_, I guess. It's like I'm not really alive until I get it…but the light is brighter and the darkness is deeper and sounds are magnified…my heart starts racing and my muscles tense up and I get an adrenaline rush…and it only ever happened…when I was around you."

He paused only a moment, but continued quickly for fear that he wouldn't ever start talking again if he stopped now, "When I was a cadet, I saw you once and I got that high for the first time…it was a little intimidating, but just seeing you in all your glory…was _mesmerizing_. I couldn't breathe or anything…and then as I got the chance to work with you more, it started to feel like I'd never breathed before I knew you. And when you went crazy…fear followed the high and…I _liked_ it…. It's sick, but that's the way it was, and I won't deny it…."

Cloud started rushing through his words. He knew he was spilling out his crazy, immature, idiot guts to the man he admired most and it would diminish Sephiroth's opinion of him severely. But he couldn't stop talking; he was afraid to stop and take his criticism now that he'd already said too much.

"It was so much like a drug…even when I lost you for good it acted that way…because when you were gone, I started going through _withdrawal_. Nothing mattered anymore. I drifted from place to place. I never wanted to do anything more with myself than be a delivery boy. I used to have aspirations…I wanted to be a hero like you…I wanted to help people…hell, I wanted to be a champion chocobo racer. But none of that mattered in the least after Meteor. Even the people who loved me and cared for me couldn't do anything for me. I wished they could, but they just couldn't, and I wanted them to leave me alone and get on with their own lives. Maybe I could have lived a little if Zack and Aeris were still around…but I had nothing left. No rehab, no life left to reclaim even if I had rehab. Just…empty…."

He breathed in. He had absolutely nothing left to say, and now he would take Sephiroth's rejection. Cloud braced himself for the impact of cold words or criticism or even just a dismissive disregard of everything he said without any spoken reaction at all. The latter would hurt the worst.

"…A high?" Sephiroth muttered softly. Cloud said nothing, moved nothing. The general turned his gaze to the bed. The boy hadn't expected Sephiroth to consider his words at all; after all, it had just been childish babble. Sephiroth didn't usually bother himself with such useless prattle. Yet, here he was, gears visibly turning behind his icy eyes.

At length, the older man turned back to look him in the eyes. "Truth be told…I've been feeling something similar."

Cloud could not have been more surprised. "Uh…Wh…what…?"

Sephiroth nodded. "I don't understand it very well myself…emotional psychology isn't exactly my specialty, if you take my meaning. I'll have to think on it…perhaps consult with someone else. In the mean time, get some rest. Don't be offended if I lock you in here tonight and put a few more effects on just until dawn." He moved towards the door.

"Uh…y-yeah…course…" Cloud stuttered. Not only was he considering his words…he was so…_professional_ about it. It was _weird_. Then again, that was certainly the general's style…so much like the man he knew. Sephiroth made his exit without a word and Cloud flopped down on the bed. It was just like he remembered it in his own world. Yet….

_He feels the same way I do…._

The high started up again, but it was more intense than usual, more like a stimulant. He suddenly didn't feel very much like sleeping, even with all the stats effects he was suffering from. A smile played on his lips and lingered there, refusing to let go. _He wants me here. He feels the same way and he wants me to stay here…._

Eventually, though, he did sleep. He slept, and he dreamt of a dark room and a glass encasement. He dreamt of breaking out.

* * *

He stumbled along a little, disoriented, dragging his sword behind him—the ginormous greater-than-the-size-of-his-body sword that so many had fallen to. It was worn from use, but had been recently polished, probably by his captors, whoever they were. He didn't really care.

He dropped to his hands and knees for a moment to catch his breath. He was extremely dizzy, and his lungs were filled with oxygen-and-mako-charged liquid. It drained from his nose and mouth and even his ears painfully. He felt nauseous. And he felt…_alive_.

His back ached, skin nearly tearing at the seams in agony and stiffness. It'd been such a long time since he had let loose. A long time since he'd felt pain or looked across the world that, somehow, still stood, protected by some unknown and invisible guardian. He could barely understand how it had managed to survive. How was it possible?

It was because the guardian was neither unknown nor invisible. The protector had a name and a face that the world knew well…that he knew all _too_ well. He should have taken the offer to come with him. They could've been happy…that's why he'd invited the man…but he'd just been stabbed in the back for it, quite literally. And thrown into a pit of searing mako waste and sliced and diced into submission. That man had a face. That man had a name.

He lifted the slitted, unnaturally blue eyes to the sky, glaring upwards, holding a new fire within. Releasing the tension in his back, he watched as black feathers covered the sky, like the darkness that would cover the world. But not just yet. There was one mission that was far more personal…one man that he had to pay a visit to first. And that man would pay. He would pay _dearly_.

He whispered into the barren night with a vindication and a passion that could shatter worlds:

"_**Sephiroth!"**_

* * *

"Sephiroth?"

The general started a little. Breakfast. That's right…breakfast and talking to Zack. "Ah…sorry. I…was lost in thought." What was that sudden cold he'd felt?

"About Cloud?" the brunette asked, continuing to prod the bacon. "You look pale, dude. Does it bother you that he's here?"

"No…I actually feel better with him here. In fact, I wanted to talk to you…."

"Uh…alright, sure! But Aerith'll be back from the church soon and she's gonna drag me out to look at houses and stuff when she does."

"I won't be long. It actually has a bit to do with Aerith."

"Aerith?" he asked, curious. "Alright, then…shoot."

Sephiroth poked his fork at his eggs for a moment before beginning. "I…how do you feel…about Aerith?"

"What? Well, I love her, ya dope!" Zack laughed.

The other rolled his eyes. "No…I mean…specifically. What are your symptoms?"

"Symptoms? Of lovesickness, you mean?" he asked, grinning. "Nah…but in all seriousness. Yeah…well! It's like…when she's around, light and color is…so much brighter. And noise sounds like music and everything in the world suddenly becomes beautiful. She lights up the world and makes my heart race and I choke up so I can barely breathe…but I come close to her and it's like breathing pure air. Like I'd never breathed before I took in the sweet air around her…."

Zack stopped momentarily. "Too sappy for you, Seph?"

"Uh…no…" Sephiroth assured him, shifting a little uncomfortably. There was no _way_ he was actually hearing this. "Please…continue. What about when she's not around?"

With a smile, the big kid kept going, "When she's not around? I don't know. Everything else kinda seems like it doesn't matter. Like, it still matters, but it seems to matter less in comparison. Everything gets blander and all I can really think about is when I'm gonna see her again. Sure, I can focus on other things, but at the end of the day, she's the one I really want to find. Without her…everything just seems…I dunno…_empty_."

That did it. Sephiroth dropped his fork down on his plate, suddenly no longer hungry. His stomach was churning wildly.

"Seph?" Zack said, hearing the sound and turning his head back to him. He blinked and bounded over excitedly, like a puppy to a ball being waved around in his face. He pointed square between Sephiroth's eyes, forcing the general to jerk his head back, startled. "Seph!! You're BLUSHING!"

"Wh-what?!" He tried to swat Zack away.

The puppy would not be deterred. "YOU feel that way about someone else, _don't you?!_" he exclaimed wildly.

"_What?!_ Cut that out!" Of course, his face only grew redder, and Zack persisted.

"Who is it?" he prodded. "Who's the lucky girl?"

"There _is no girl!!_" Sephiroth hissed, hoping to dissuade him with at least a little truth.

Zack, however, saw right through that. "It's a _guy!_" he proclaimed, voice squeaking a bit in his hype. Before Sephiroth could protest this time, Zack gasped in recognition. "It's not just _any_ guy! You're in love with _Rayne!!_"

Sephiroth stood up, temper far from controlled by now. "_Zack Fair—!!_"

Zack recognized his cue. "Uh…Aerith is taking a kinda long time…I'm gonna go check on her, 'kay? See ya, Seph!" He hurdled a chair and bolted out. Sephiroth started to chase, but then figured it wasn't worth it. Zack wouldn't run his mouth like Yuffie would, even if he'd be teasing him about it for months—wait. What did he care? It wasn't true! Zack was making wild, groundless claims that had no basis in fact whatsoever. None at all.

Yuffie's light prance down the stairs alerted him that he was no longer alone…and she was followed by a heavier set. He looked back to see that she'd released their prisoner. Cloud rubbed his eyes, yawning cutely like a little kid. "Mornin', Sephie!" Yuffie called to him, dancing over to the bacon. "Oh, no! Zack nearly _burned _it!" she whined frantically, taking it off the burner. "Where'd he go?"

"Down to the church to find Aerith," Sephiroth answered absentmindedly. He was focused on Cloud. Even disheveled as he was in the morning, he seemed beautiful. The room seemed a little brighter….

_It's not that. It can't be…._

"Hi…" Cloud whispered, turning to Sephiroth.

Sephiroth swallowed, momentarily unable to breath. "Good morning, Strife," he answered, relapsing into his old rank again, as he usually did when placed in an awkward position. He remembered Cid teasing him before the final battle when he'd told his party to "Move out." ("Goddamnit, Sephiroth! You need to lighten up! Quit acting like a military man and act like a human being for once! Say something more casual…like… 'Alright, let's mosey!' or something like that.") Somehow, that had reminded him of the boy he used to know. "Let's mosey"…that sounded like something he would say. He was such an exquisitely simple person. It was easy to love Cloud….

_But that's not…._

"You gonna eat that?" Yuffie asked.

Sephiroth snapped out of his reminiscence. "Ah…no, go ahead," he said quickly, dismissively. He sat down with them, turning his gaze back to Cloud. The kid had grown from when he was just a cadet. That had been obvious when he fought him, but now it was all the more apparent because he was the same person he'd known from back then. His body and mind had matured while the general quirky clumsiness socially remained. That was one of the things he'd always loved most about Cloud…maybe…just maybe….

_I…don't love people. Not in that sense. Zack can love with his entire being, but I can't. I'm not capable of it._

Cloud looked up to see Sephiroth watching him eat and quickly looked back down uncomfortably. His face seemed to gain a little more color as he fumbled with his breakfast. Something occurred to the general—_Is Cloud capable of it? Is it possible that he…?_

He remained lost in thought for a long while before Cloud and Yuffie finished and the others came down as well. Vincent hadn't returned from heading out that previous evening—he kept a weird sleep schedule—but Cid, Red XIII, and the kids remained. Denzel and Marlene still looked pretty uncomfortable with Cloud around. He noticed this made the blonde uneasy. Cloud got up from where he sat, mentioning he was going outside for a minute, eyeing the children sadly.

"You think it's safe to leave him alone?" Cid asked.

Sephiroth nodded. "He's still weak. Let him be."

* * *

It was getting to be close to noon now. That didn't sit well with him.

Sephiroth exited the bar to see that Cloud was sitting on the sidewalk just outside it, his arms resting on his upright knees. People were giving him weird looks.

"They'll warm up to you," Sephiroth offered. "Once we have time to spread the word about Rayne, you'll be alright."

Cloud looked up, a little startled by his presence. When he'd clarified the speaker, he looked back to the road. "Yeah…I know."

The two stood in silence for a minute. Sephiroth considered approaching him on the subject he and Zack had discussed. Yet, somehow, it was much more difficult to actually say than to consider.

"Clo—er, Rayne," he addressed. The other looked up again. "About…what we discussed yesterday. The two of us. You know…the 'high'…."

Cloud looked away again, this time seeming to become a little uncomfortable. "Y-yeah…?"

"I…well…." He sighed. It was useless to try and suggest something like that. He was brave enough to hurl himself into a rain of bullets, but he couldn't muster the courage to strike up a conversation about love. Instead, he opted for…_implication_. "There's a good deal of things you don't know about this world, correct? And surely rumors of your return have begun to circulate…so…if…you and I went on a sort of…_tour_ around the Planet…do you think you could become more comfortable and…more established here?"

"Travel around the world?" Cloud repeated. "With you?" he added at the other's nodded confirmation. His face flushed a little. "I…guess I've always wanted to…I mean, that was my dream from day one…once I'd met you."

Sephiroth nodded. "That'll give the others some space and time to accept things and…it'll give us…well…."

A look of realization crept into Cloud's face. He looked up at Sephiroth, as if he knew what he was asking him to do. But again, Cloud couldn't find it in himself to say anything…or allow himself to believe something like that. "I…yeah. I want to go with you. More than anything."

"But…?" Sephiroth questioned.

Cloud looked a little confused. "But what?"

"You're declining."

"No I'm not! I'm accepting! I really want to go!"

"But you can't."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. You're the one who said it."

"I never said that!"

"_SEPHIROTH!!_" someone cried.

The two of them looked up at the sound. Zack ran toward them, panting and fearful, clutching a little pink ribbon. Cloud recognized it well. He paled at the sight of it. _No…no, no, no! Not here! Not her!!_

"I…I got there…It was…the floor…all that was there was…she…!!"

"Zack, calm down," Sephiroth commanded seriously. "What happened?"

Zack took a few deep breaths and looked up into Sephiroth's eyes with a look of terrible pain.

"Aerith…she's gone!"

* * *

_**suspension**__ 1) a dissonant note hanging above the chord that can be held there for a long while, but ultimately must come down._

**: End Chapter VII :**


	8. Subito!

Disclaimer: Hi, everyone! Sorry for the cliffhanger last update. Actually, I'm not really sorry, hehe! Admit it. You like cliffhangers. I like them. Maybe I'm just weird like that…but it's kind of a love-hate relationship, like Seph and Cloud are. Ooh! And I came up with names to differentiate: there's Cloud and Psycloud, and then there's Seph and Sephopath. So like, Psychopath…and their names. Ayup! (Haha…that word makes me think of Phoenix Wright and "the Wet Noodle" restaurant -boat rental shop, cough-. Mm…memories. Speaking of which, I saw a surprisingly good picture of Cloud as Phoenix, Seph as Edgey, etc, etc. Sephiroth's "urk-face" was amazing. Haha!). If the first part is confusing, well…Tifa is obviously still alive, so infer that part is happening in Cloud's reality. The next part goes back to Seph's reality.

Thanks again to everyone who reads, comments, etc! I love you all!!

* * *

_The Red Queen schemed and returned to find her sister, the Black Queen, but found she had already excused herself. Well enough, she thought to herself with a smirk on her pretty, twisted face. Alice would soon feel pain beyond any other. The Mad Hatter and the Knight and the Rabbit looked on to Alice and saw that she had truly changed. A black crown sat on her head. Since the crown was too tight to be taken off, they decided it best to simply remove her entire head._

**Chapter VIII : Subito!**

Tifa wiped the bar counter after a long night. It was nearly five o' clock in the morning—normal hours, of course, for someone who ran that kind of establishment. The bell rang at her door. "We're closed. Go home and come back at a decent hour. It's not right to drink so early in the morning," she drawled, depressed, not bothering to look up at her patron. She had stopped scrubbing, preoccupied with something else. She stared, unseeing, at the brass armor on his feet for a long while before realizing who it really was and looking up. "Vincent—you're back! Where…?" She blinked at him a few times, eyes widening, straightening her back. "You…look _terrible_…."

"I can't find him," he admitted miserably.

"What?"

"I still can't find Cloud. I've searched in all the usual places, and then some…and of course he isn't answering his goddamn phone. I even got desperate enough to ask those ShinRa rats to trace the signal…but they didn't find anything at all…almost as though it didn't even exist."

Tifa eyed him sadly. The Turks had been bothering him for some time now…she wasn't sure what the real reason was, but she suspected they were trying to invite Vincent back. She wasn't surprised that would earn them the name "ShinRa rats" from him…it must have perturbed him quite a bit. And…there was something else they'd mentioned that was even more disturbing. "With what Reno and Rude were saying about someone trying to bring Sephiroth back…you don't think Cloud went after him, do you?"

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his soft hand as though he had a headache. "I wouldn't doubt it."

"But…why would he go alone? He knows we're with him! He didn't have to try so hard to ditch us!"

"He also knows he can take Sephiroth on his own now," he pointed out, recalling the battle against Kadaj. "As personal as his reasons are now, I'm not surprised he wanted to do this alone."

Tifa began in an angry growl, "If he's worried about us getting hurt—!"

"It's not that," Vincent cut him off. "It has nothing to do with us. In fact…I sympathize with his reasoning…at least a little."

"What are you talking about?" she demanded in an overdramatic, betrayed voice.

"Tifa…don't you love Cloud?"

"Wh-what?!" She took a step backwards, taken by surprise by the question.

"If Cloud turned against you and you had to kill him…if he returned, killed a few of your friends, and you had to kill him again…and he kept returning, only to torment you…."

Tifa scoffed. "What are you saying?! You think the way I feel about Cloud is anything near as…_childish_ as Cloud's admiration for the man Sephiroth pretended to be?!" she spat, implying her admittance of Vincent's accusation.

"Admiration? You think that was all it was?" he questioned.

She blinked quickly, shifting uncomfortably, knowing exactly what he meant, but not wanting to admit that, of all things. "What…what are you talking about…?"

"And you complain that _he's_ oblivious. As much as we'd like to hope otherwise, Cloud has never been interested in anyone but that man, platonically or not. It's obvious to those of us who have known love and lost it…." He turned away from her, flexing his claw arm, face twinging with pain suddenly, but slightly. The look was smoothed and gone as quickly as it had appeared. "Those of us who have known that loss can see it in his eyes. His pain is wide and deep as the ocean. Sephiroth took everything away from the both of you…that much is true. But you never loved the one who ripped it away from you. To Cloud, his world was ripped away twice—one being his family, friends, and life—one being Sephiroth."

Tifa shook her head in disbelief. "We move on! I moved on! Everyone's moving on! You lost your love! I lost my family and my friends! So why can't—" A sob broke out. "He can't love Sephiroth like that! Sephiroth is a _guy_! Cloud isn't like that!"

Vincent sighed. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that claim just isn't true." He figured it wouldn't make her feel any better to mention that Cloud wasn't interested in men any more than he was interested in women—it was just Sephiroth. So maybe…Sephiroth-sexual was a better word than homosexual? What a bother. Cloud was a messed up case.

"I'm sorry…" he repeated, though he knew it would do her no good. He took his leave, knowing he would be far from able to provide her comfort if she started crying. Such things weren't his forte. Besides, there was another thing bothering him…something that Tifa obviously knew nothing about and didn't need to know about if he could help it.

"_Have you ever thought about…parallel universes or alternate dimensions?" Rufus ShinRa had asked after receiving the twenty-seventh "no" and having done him the favor of looking up Cloud's phone signal._

"_Not really," Vincent admitted. "Fantasizing isn't high on my list of priorities."_

"_It's no fantasy, Valentine," he'd insisted. "That's the problem." Vincent, by necessity, asked what he meant by such a far-fetched idea. "We used to research it. It was part of the quantum physics department. Hojo would know a good deal about it if he was still around, but he isn't, of course. The problem is, there have been several quantum disturbances on our sensors lately. Don't give me that look. We weren't the ones who caused it, obviously. We don't have the kind of resources to devote to such a huge and practically useless project after Meteor."_

"_Then what are you suggesting, oh great President?"_

"_Lay off the smartass, will you? I'm trying to change my mistakes and assist you ungrateful—" He sighed, collecting himself. "I'm only trying to help," Rufus offered more calmly, reminding himself how important it was to try and stay friendly with the team that was powerful enough to bring down Sephiroth and so many other enemies, friends, and assets. "I think that someone is trying to travel between worlds, dimensions, et cetera. These disturbances, after all, we found were gateways into other worlds."_

_Vincent scoffed. "It's true," Rufus said, his face serious. "We send a droid into one with a radio transmission camera on it. Do you know what we found?"_

"_Enlighten me."_

_Rufus narrowed his eyes. "It was Genesis, Valentine. Project G. And something more."_

_Vincent, already taken aback by the first revelation, looked questioningly at him. What could possibly be more shocking than his reappearance? Sephiroth's, after all, was getting a little old. So what could possibly surprise them now…?"_

"_It was Cloud. Mako-infested…with one black wing…and, for all purposes, dead. Or maybe…not dead for long. Do you understand, Valentine?"_

_Vincent understood._

* * *

"Quit talking in riddles and poetry, damnit!" Loz complained, fed up with the shrouded one's lyrical monologues. "Neither of us can understand a word you're saying!"

He sighed. It was light outside where they were, so it was at least possible to see his red leather coat and clipped, chestnut-colored hair. He ran his fingers through that hair in frustration. "Return the beasts, and the gift will come. She lies in waiting and only a single obstacle impedes her in each world," he explained. "So, take those obstacles, and keep them in this world…and in the mean time, we find the way to the duplicate's world. It's quite simple. The two of them won't know what's happening in that world. We destroy it without having to worry about them, and then we'll send them to the world that's already destroyed. There won't be a damn thing they can do to save it once there's no one left to save."

"So, say we destroy both that world and this," Yazoo said, cutting in. The other two turned to him. "How will this help Kadaj?"

The brunette looked him over curiously. "…Are you saying you don't trust me?"

Despite Loz's worried looks, Yazoo pressed on. "You've never given us a straight answer. How do you know that he'll wake up? Or is it that you know he _won't_ wake?" he accused.

Their employer gave a hollow, insulted laugh. "You think I'm lying to you so you'll follow me? Come. I can bring back a wandering, restless soul from the dead as long as it thirsts for something in life. That is how the destroyers will come to wake, after all. But those that died peacefully and willingly…_that_ is another matter entirely. It isn't easy to find a soul in the Lifestream that doesn't want to be found. I'm not a god, you know…oh, no…." He shook his head quite seriously, narrowing his eyes. "I'm a _monster_. But…I am a monster that will reshape the Planet…destroy it and give it rebirth in the name of the goddess.

"Since that was your brother's dream as well, I can't imagine dear Mother would leave him out. He's been instrumental to the realization of this dream, after all. Once this dream—_his_ dream—has come to fruition, he will wake. Besides…" he added, tainting his tone with a slightly mocking, wounding tambour—"even if it's only a chance that he'll return, it's the only chance you have in _hell_ of bringing him back."

Both brothers flinched. At least some of it was true…if Kadaj didn't wake as a result of his wild plan, they knew of no other way to return him…or worse, to try and live without him. In the mean time, they knew they were at his mercy, to be abused or used or tossed aside at his whim, because he was keeping Kadaj's body alive. How he'd even managed to recreate it in the first place was still a mystery to them. Their debts were high, and the gift priceless. They had nowhere else to go.

The third among them turned his back on them and continued in the direction of their base…but then stopped suddenly. "Genesis…?" one of the brothers ventured, but their master did not reply. They exchanged worried glances and came to his side, looking down to where his eyes were locked.

Half of the building was gone.

The brothers needed only stare for a moment before their thoughts turned almost immediately to the treasure that was kept inside. They ran forward, leaving Genesis standing there, alone. He did not, however, look angered, fearful, or even slightly dismayed. He stepped toward it with length and careful, curious stability in his stride, wondering…_Could it be…my destroyer has developed and awakened?_ He quickened his pace, but he was neither panicked nor excited enough to break into a full run. The rooms passed as he entered, each one closer and closer to the one where his beauty once laid, connected to the mako-dependant machinery that kept him alive. The smile on his face grew wider as he traveled, assessing the damages with a sense of accomplishment rather than loss. At last, he came to the original source—and found it had gotten up and walked away.

Yazoo and Loz thanked their stars that Kadaj's pod seemed to be intact except for the somewhat fuzzy screen. Genesis walked smoothly, slowly past them to the standing pod at the end of the room, boots crunching on the broken glass that had flown outwards because of a force from the inside. A few of the other laying pods had been massacred. _Those brothers were very lucky,_ he mused. He doubted that his precious charge would have been lucid enough to tell the difference between clone and human.

Yazoo looked to Genesis, a new fear brewing in him, as his brother attempted to stop his tears of joy. "Genesis," he asked, "the destroyer…he's gone…what are we going to do?"

"Nothing," he answered nonchalantly.

"What?! Nothing?!"

"This might work better," he supposed. "If it doesn't, there isn't much we can do about it for now. The cat's out of the bag now if it wasn't already. No use in trying to rein him back."

"But what if he's defeated?!" Yazoo demanded. "With both Sephiroth and the other Cloud here in addition to the rest of them, what chance does he have?!"

Genesis's head jerked up. "What chance _does_ Cloud have?" he asked rhetorically, as though in response to a colossal revelation. "What chance _does_ he have, facing all of the heroes and his true love? What can he do but give his life to them?"

"…Are you reciting again?" Yazoo said, slightly confused.

"_Cloud_ is a _murderer_," he continued. "Cloud must be destroyed before he destroys the world. That's exactly what our dear hero will think when he sees his beloved ravaging the land again…" he pondered with a smirk.

Yazoo's face bloomed with recognition. "…_Oh_."

"Hang on, Kadaj," Loz whispered to his younger brother between sniffles. "We're gonna take you home to Mother. Everything is alright. Everything is alright…."

* * *

Vincent gripped it tightly in his fingers. He'd known well that this would happen. He just hadn't expected it to come so soon. He hadn't expected Cloud to be that bold.

And there he was below, the hypocrite, trying to ease Zack's pain. Vincent perched on the roof of a building close, not quite fully healed from their previous encounter, but healed enough that he might be able to take him…assuming he had Zack's and Sephiroth's help. He knew they'd be more than willing once he'd shown them the proof. They knew he wouldn't make up something so serious.

"Don't worry, Zack…we'll find her. She couldn't have gone far…" Cloud attempted.

"But who would've taken her?" the big kid whined. "I mean…other than some psychotic serial killer type…."

He was close to crying. Cloud tried again, "Maybe she wasn't kidnapped. Maybe…I don't know. Her ribbon might have been there for any reason…maybe she was just combing out her hair or something and had to rush off and forgot it…."

"But the first thing _you_ thought when you saw it was she was kidnapped, wasn't it?" Zack whimpered.

"Well…yeah…but…like you said, there's no reason that would happen…and she has materia on her, right? It's not like she couldn't defend herself…Aeris may be a lousy fighter, but she's a powerful mage with the right stuff…."

"_Aerith!_"

"Yeah…Aerith…right. Listen…if she _is_ in trouble, we don't have time to be sitting here arguing. We need to go find her—"

Suddenly, Cloud felt something hard and cold press into his cheek. Turning his head around, he found himself staring down the barrel of Cerberus.

"Whoa! Vincent! What the hell are you doing?!" Zack interjected.

"Vincent, stand down!" Sephiroth commanded. "I thought we already settled this!"

The dark man ignored them. "Where is she?!" he growled at Cloud. Cloud blinked a few times, unsure of what exactly he was getting at. "What have you done with Aerith?!" he demanded again. "I swear to you, if you hurt her—"

"Vincent, it wasn't him!" Sephiroth cut in. "He's been here the entire day."

"_Oh?!_" he hissed, not taking the gun off of him. "I guess you didn't lock him in well enough!"

"Vincent, he didn't do it! Clou—er, Rayne's not the psychopath!" Zack pleaded.

"I _fought_ with him!" he snapped. "I saw him a few hours ago a little past dawn, holding her—or at least her body—in his arms! He certainly had his goddamn wing back, along with all his sick powers and that insane look on his face! Did you think you killed me, Strife?!"

Sephiroth's brow furrowed. He didn't understand…Cloud had been there the entire time, yet Vincent, as distrusting as he was of Cloud, was not a liar. He _could_ see places of Vincent's clothes that had been ripped by a large weapon, places where slight materia-healed scars remained…but that would mean that Cloud was….

He held his claw arm out to Zack, still pointing his gun and his eyes toward his enemy. Zack held out his hand under the clawed fist and a small, white, metal band fell into it. A little gem glittered at its crest.

"This…this is…_Aerith's wedding ring!_" he stammered. He looked up at Cloud desperately, not wanting to believe that he was the perpetrator, but searching for some explanation all the same. "C-Cloud…" he muttered, forgetting his Rayne-clause for a moment.

Sephiroth took a small step toward him, cautiously, his expression changing slightly, but noticeably. "…Cloud?"

Cloud's eyes darted between the three of them. He realized quickly that the situation was turning against him. It was only a matter of time before all trust was gone and he became their new target. And in the mean time, they'd be chasing the wrong guy and be no closer to finding Aerith. By the time they found the real culprit, it would be too late….

His eyes lingered on Sephiroth…and saddened. He wouldn't be able to join Sephiroth after all. His long-time hero would hate him once again and begin chasing after him with the conviction to kill. When he found Aerith, if he found her alive, Sephiroth would probably still kill him. And he knew that this time he wouldn't be able to raise his sword against Sephiroth in his defense. Sephiroth was whole and sane and innocent…and Cloud loved him. No distrust from that man would change that. He would have to give up his life to a man who hated him…because he loved him.

But he wouldn't leave without making sure he knew that. He had nothing to lose now.

He turned back, locking his eyes on Vincent. He'd need his sword and he'd need to be able to outrun Sephiroth's wing. Zack's bike was trashed, so there was only one other option. He had a key to only one other vehicle. He couldn't afford any mistakes. And he'd be cutting it awfully close.

"I can't let her die again," he uttered.

"What?" Vincent asked.

"I'm sorry. I can't let her die again."

Vincent blinked—Cloud bolted.

Ignoring the gunshot that sliced a few of his hairs short, he flew through the doors of Seventh Heaven, catapulting up the stairs and into his old room—Sephiroth's room—where he knew First Tsurugi was waiting. He grabbed hold of it and spun around—good experience on his part—to meet Masamune just in time. They clashed hard, and Sephiroth's glare drove into Cloud's eyes. There was betrayal in those eyes.

"_You_…." He started to growl…but there weren't words to express his fury and his pain and his confusion. Cloud stared right back, knowing full well what he was doing to him, but he showed no malice. Instead, he released the force of one arm on his sword, allowing Sephiroth to push him roughly into the wall. He shuddered with the force, but didn't tense. Instead, Cloud took his now free hand, reaching between the crossed swords, and grabbed Sephiroth's open collar, pulling himself up—locking his lips on Sephiroth's.

Masamune jerked and slid down First Tsurugi, grinding to a tight horizontal position. Cloud didn't hold back—he pressed on passionately, opening his mouth fully into the other's, slipping his hand around the back of the hero's neck to pull closer. Even though he was still in battle mode, Sephiroth couldn't bring himself to fight him. Almost unwillingly—perhaps unconsciously—he moved his lips in synchronization, tensely but powerfully kneading and caressing. Cloud pulled his face away all too quickly, leaving Sephiroth slightly disoriented. The blonde put a hand on the side of his face and stroked it, whispering into the other's lips:

"I love you." It was barely a breath, but it broke through Sephiroth's stone defenses like a Weapon. "You're my reason for living...I don't even care if you love me or hate me. Just know…."

Zack rushed into the room, followed quickly by Vincent. Cloud pushed Sephiroth away quickly, but gently—no longer with any difficult because of the daze the general was in. Cloud was out the window before he could collect his senses and the other two could get into battle stance, but Sephiroth snapped back to reality as soon as his form disappeared and leapt after him, spreading his wing.

It wasn't hard to spot Cloud making a mad dash through the alleyways. He leapt off a railing on the road and onto the roof of a building at a lower altitude. His hand fished around his pocket for his keys and gripped one of the chains. He hoped to the gods that he was going the right way—the city had changed a little in-between dimensions.

Sephiroth swept down to take him, moving at a higher speed and seeing that Cloud was at the edge of the roof—he had nowhere else to go—there was a long, long drop under him—

Cloud took a dive.

Taken by surprise, Sephiroth dove to the edge of the roof, landing neatly and rushing to the edge. _There's no way he could've—!_ Then, he stopped. It wasn't because it occurred to him that the old Cloud had a wing as well—and it _did_ occur to him—it was because of the sound he heard from below.

Zack and Vincent caught up with him in a matter of seconds. "Where'd he go?" Zack said hurriedly, somewhat out of breath. "What happened?"

Sephiroth just shook his head, eyes widening when he realized where they were. It _was_ the sound of—! "There's no way…!"

The rumbling sound grew louder and more overwhelming until it was right on them—and the _Highwind_ rose from below.

Cloud crouched on top of it on the deck, looking down at them as the airship rose ever higher. Even Sephiroth couldn't outrun this fine piece of machinery—not the way Cid had tweaked it. He might have laughed at the look of total utter and disbelief plastered to their faces if, as he reminded himself, it wouldn't have made him look like the evil, insane psychopath they probably thought he was. He pushed the keys back into his pocket—he would have to thank Cid for convincing him to lend him the money to install keyless entry—and ignition.

He turned and opened the top hatch, sliding down towards the bridge. He didn't dare look back at Sephiroth again. If he did, he might just break, turn the _Highwind_ around, and offer to let his love take his life. He was pretty sure he'd royally confused Sephiroth…and absolutely certain he'd wounded him. But no matter how much he was hurting them now, Aerith couldn't wait for his weakness or their distrust.

_I will not let her die again. I won't let anyone die. Not Aerith, not Zack…and not __**you**__._

So he didn't look back. Not when he began to feel the high subside. Not when cold withdrawal began to set in. Not when Sephiroth stepped forward below, filled with raging emotion, nearly staggering in his pain and his passion, and screamed out his name.

* * *

_**subito**__ 1) characteristic of a sudden, immense change_

**: End Chapter VIII :**

Ending Notes: Cloud should play Grand Theft Auto. Apparently he's really into that sort of thing. That's all I have to say. Hehe!


	9. Crescendo

**Recommended Listening:** "Taking Over Me" – Evanescence. Never heard the song? Search for a music video on YouTube. It's got just the right mix of angst, passion, and absolute devotion for our heroes. And perhaps our villains…? Same goes for the next chapter, once written.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, including that song. Definitely not. I wish I did. Sigh … If I could sing like Amy Lee…oh well. Longest chapter yet...if you want, you can take some of this chapter as Rufus X Vincent if you really like it that way, but it's no more than implied. I might do a spin-off to that pairing later, but it's not a big part of this particular story. Oh, and sorry for the light Avatar rip about The Universe. Haha!

Where did Cloud learn to snog if he's been alone all his life? I have no idea. Watching lame black-and-white romance movies by himself on Saturday night? shrug Perhaps it's more realistic to make him terrible at it, but it might've ruined that scene, ha-ha.

* * *

_Alice was late. She was late—for a very important date! No time to say "Hello, Goodbye!" She was off, leaving the White Rabbit behind. Up, away, and into the sky! Wonderland and home came close, so close in fact, that suddenly Alice could no longer tell which was Wonderland and which was real—and maybe home wasn't real. Maybe it was Wonderland that was real. Maybe it was neither one, it was all a dream, and nothing, including her, was real…._

**Chapter IX : Crescendo**

"And how do you suggest we follow him?!" Vincent growled angrily. "Sephiroth is the only one with _wings!_"

Sephiroth didn't feel it necessary or appropriate to point out that he only had one wing. But the thought still crossed his mind. At the same time, he wondered with a strange calmness, "If Cloud's regained his powers, or at least his memory of Jenova…why would he need the _Highwind?_"

"To stop _us_ from using it?" Zack whined, starting to panic.

Sephiroth shook his head. "There's no need for you to go after him," he said enigmatically.

"Huh?" Zack stared at him. "Whaddya mean?! He went back to psycho-murder-destroy-the-world Cloud! And he's got _Aerith,_ Seph!! We can't just let him go!!"

The general turned to him with a strange look in his eyes. "I said _you_ don't need to go after him. I…can help Aerith myself. I need to be the one to stop him."

"Wh…what?" Zack blinked for a moment as Sephiroth turned away. He scuttled in front of him quickly when he realized what he meant. "Aw, naw! Oh, no, no, no, no! There's no _way_ you're leaving us here! I mean—what makes you think you can outrun an _airship_, even if you _do_ have a freaking wing? Besides, you're not alone in this! You don't have to take everything on your shoulders! You can't just fly off after Cloud by yoursel—"

Sephiroth beat his wing once and catapulted into the air with the attitude of a defiant teenager. Zack stood there gaping, cut off in mid-sentence. He turned to Vincent, remaining silent for a moment. At last, he gasped, "Did—did he just fly off after Cloud by himself?"

Vincent smacked himself in the face. Most of the time he felt more like the good friend than the mature, rational father figure around Zack and Sephiroth. This was not one of those times.

"Hey, Vince," Zack said after a minute. "You know how to ride a chocobo?"

"What? No. Why would I? You and Sephiroth are the champion racers. What does it matter?"

"Well…we don't have any other vehicles, so…you're gonna learn."

Zack ignored Vincent's suddenly wide eyes and nervous, protesting chortle and grabbed his wrist, pulling him away towards his impending doom.

* * *

"Do something for me first," Rufus said to Vincent—that is, the Vincent who knew Cloud to be his friend. He folded his hands together, swiveling to the side and crossing his ankle over one leg. He leaned back in his office chair to his usual "making a compromise" position. "You've been asking me for quite a few favors lately. Why don't you scratch _my_ back, and I'll scratch yours?"

Vincent narrowed his eyes at him. He'd expected Rufus to pull something like this sooner or later, and expected it even more so when the former president called _personally_ to tell him he had found some information on the alternate dimensions that may have to do with Cloud. Specifically, an anomaly was appearing at a specific point that might be like an open door to the reality they'd sent the droid into before…. Of course, Rufus wasn't going to divulge that location—not until Vincent gave in and rejoined the Turks. He noticed Rufus had conveniently placed a job application on top of the papers on his desk, ready to be pushed over with a pen as soon as he'd consented. The president thought he was _so_ brilliant, thought he always held all the cards…_. What a joke_.

"I'll find him on my own," Vincent growled, turning on his heel towards the door. Rufus clicked his tongue at him. Instinctively, Vincent stopped—then cursed himself for being so easily commanded, like he was a dog.

"Come, Valentine. You and I both know that you don't have the technology or the resources to find it yourself."

"And you and I both know that I can just follow the two stooges around until they lead me straight there," Vincent snapped, turning towards him again. He knew Rufus wouldn't be able to resist butting in on this situation and would send _someone_ there eventually.

"How about I split up my men?" he ventured. "Reno goes one way, Rude another, Tseng, Elena…et cetera. Maybe I won't send a Turk to that location at all. Maybe I'll send someone low on the food chain to report back to me so you don't notice…someone you don't even know is working for me. I have more personnel than you have spies."

That much was at least true. "How about I run through your new hideout and thrash the information out of you and your personnel?" Vincent asked with a caustic sweetness.

Rufus sighed. "Valentine—"

"Listen—if what you told me about the black-winged Cloud is true, you're not going to be able to deal with this on your own. If what you've said about Sephiroth's return is true, you're _definitely_ in the hole without us. You're not the one calling the shots around here, as spoiled as you might be by unlimited power—"

"Yes, Vincent!" Rufus cut him off, calling him by his first name. Vincent only let him speak because it looked like Rufus was about ready to beg—and _that_ was something he wanted to see. "We…we _do_ need you. But _you_ can't rebuild this world! And on my own, without the trust of the people, I can't do it either. You don't have the manpower, the equipment, and we no longer have the strength of SOLDIER or the heroic image that ShinRa once inspired. Perhaps it was inspired unjustly then…but it was there. We made a huge impact. _You_ made a huge impact. But it was only when we joined forces that we could pull it together and actually _save_ people!

"And now, with much of our strength destroyed—half of your own is gone now that Cloud has disappeared and the Ancients are no more—we can do nothing alone to get to the bottom of this and stop it. We don't know what effect the disturbances alone have on the Planet, much less what goes in and out of them. Our only chance to get anywhere close to the answer is to link our forces…and I can only do that if I have your assured support.

"I'm not asking your whole team to sell their souls to me, Valentine," he finished up. "I just want you by my side. People look up to you as a hero, and more than that, you and Cloud are the greatest heroes the world has ever seen—_inclusive _of the way Sephiroth used to be. You have more strength alone than all of my Turks combined—like you said! You're the only one I trust with this task. And in return, I'm willing to give you and your companions whatever help you need."

Vincent stared at him, unblinking, unemotional for a long minute. He could tell he was making Rufus sweat, even if the political mastermind controlled his poise very well. Speaking of political mastermind, "That was a nice speech, Mr. President."

Rufus nodded to him in half-thanks, half-uncertainty. As good as he was at an inspiring monologue, he wasn't sure that would do anything to sway Vincent at all. He knew the ex-Turk would probably be able to pick apart his emotionally-charged words and his oratorical devices and even his random self-conscious gestures and body language that made it more persuasive than it would have been otherwise. _At least I didn't say anything like "our children's futures." He would've torn that one to shreds. Damnit—why can't I tell what he's thinking?!_ Usually he could tell right away when he'd won over his audience. With Vincent, he never could—even when he knew the answer would be "no," he could never read his face.

Then again, that was something that fascinated him about Vincent. That was why it had to be him.

Vincent took a few steps back towards his desk. His metal-coated feet clapped against the tile floor—it was a cheaper material than his nice, thick carpet in his old office had been, for obvious reasons…and a good thing too, because those shoes would surely scratch the floor and tug at the carpet fibers if it had been carpet…it would ruin the place. Why did he wear those shoes anyway? They were noisy and—but somehow, he could always manage to sneak up on people….

Rufus yanked his eyes up. He'd been looking at Vincent's feet. Bad, bad, _bad_ for good composure and presentation. He didn't understand how Vincent could make him so nervous. He wasn't that intimidating. Alright, so maybe the bullet-ridden, blood red cloak, crimson, sunken-in eyes, pale skin, false arm, and gun the size of his leg would've intimidated most people. But not Rufus—Rufus was a rock. Immovable, and unshakeable. Then again…he really—

_I respect him._ Rufus blinked at his admittance to himself. _I respect this man, his raw power, his intelligence, and what he's accomplished. Unbelievable._

"See?" Vincent asked, seeing the shock in Rufus's face. "Was that so hard?"

Rufus thought about biting his head off with a few invectives—fondly, yes, but he was trying to sell his case here, and, as he reminded himself, that sort of reaction would be most unseemly in this situation. He readied himself as Vincent drew breath to speak. He readied himself for "no"—but, ever the optimist….

"Let me make myself clear," Vincent began. It was not at all a friendly tone of voice, but it was less hostile than it was to begin with. "I will not bow, salute, or give any other kind of formal greeting to you. I will not call you 'Sir.' In fact, I'll be damned if I call you 'Mr.' if I'm not _mocking_ you. I refuse to deal with your damn dog"—he eyed Dark Nation in the corner, who glared back and growled at the strange man—"and I will not deal with the knights of the fool table that you call 'Turks' if I don't feel like it. I will not do any job that requires me to fatten your pockets but do nothing else, to slay innocent people, to undergo potentially earth-shattering experiments including, but not limited to creating super-powered military men who could, at any time, go insane and attempt to destroy the world multiple times. I will not help you with anything mako-related other than getting rid of it in places it doesn't belong and I absolutely refuse to betray my comrades or the people I am bound to protect. That is my final answer."

Rufus blinked. "Ah…" If he was correct and he'd heard all those ultimatums clearly…. "Uh…yes…great! When can you start?"

When Rufus reached for the application, Vincent picked up the pen and stabbed it into the "Address" field, pinning it in place. He glared down at the president, who stared right back at him. "First things first," Vincent commanded. "Where is the gateway?"

* * *

_If I was an evil mass murderer kidnapping an innocent, delightfully pink and bubbly young Cetra, where would I be?_

Cloud's first thought was the Ancient's Temple, but in that case, it wouldn't be kidnapping. It would be murder in the first degree. That was one thing he couldn't bring himself to consider at this point…or at any point, really.

What was sad was he really didn't have any leads. He hadn't been here long, and no one would trust him besides. The way that one traffic cop had reacted when he'd tried to write him a ticket and then seen the name of the destroyer of worlds on his driver's license…. He shuddered. He wasn't going to be able to just ask around like he'd asked for the man in black with a "1" tattooed on his arm before.

_So what the hell am I gonna do? Come on…I could really use a bone. Aeris? Oh, wait. Aeris is the one I want to save. It's probably not a good thing if she can just show up in my daydreams and point the way for me in a field of flowers. Lifestream? Great forces of the universe? Ah, hell…it's not like luck or destiny has ever been on my side, anyways…._

His radio crackled and Reno's voice came over the speaker from a chopper somewhere below him. "Yo, Cid! You there?"

Cloud stared at it for a second. Of course—Reno was investigating this! He knew how to find _anything_ on the information network.

_Thank you, The Universe!_

He picked up the radio. "Uh…Reno? Cid's not here, but look—"

"Huh? Who is this?"

_Oh, shit! Of course he wouldn't recognize my voice. To him, I'm the Great and Terrible Cloud Strife, Supervillain. Wonderful. How do I get him to talk to me?_

"Uh…" He thought quickly. "This…is Rayne."

"Rayne?" Reno repeated. Zack apparently hadn't had time to spread the story.

"Uh…yeah. Don't freak out, but it's Rayne Strife. Cloud is—was—my brother—" he explained quickly, not wanting him to cut off his radio or start talking or hightail it, "—but…I'm friends with Sephiroth. Don't worry…I'm not postal like he is. I mean, he tried to kill me…you know how that is."

"Uhh…" Reno sounded as though he didn't know what to make of this situation. "Can't…say I do…hey, I didn't know Cloud had a brother…."

"Well, he…kinda made sure that nobody made it out alive…I survived somehow…but I wasn't around for a while. Didn't get a chance to get back at him for killing…." He took in a deep breath. He hadn't thought about that for a long, long, time…but it might be the only way to gain his trust. "…Mother," he said heavily. Gods, it'd been a long time….

Reno was silent for a second. "Geez…" he sighed. "You've got a fucked up life, yo?" He seemed to be suspicious still. "Uh…so…you alone? Where're you headed?"

"Yeah…it's just me. I'm trying to find…" He blinked. That might be just the story he needed. Since the Turks still didn't know about what had happened earlier that morning…. "Cloud…I think he's come back. Aerith's been kidnapped…and I think it's pretty obvious who did it. I have to find her."

"Aerith's been kidnapped?!" He groaned. "Aw…not Aerith! Not that sweet kid…but listen, yo? You're not gonna be able to take him by yourself, even if your wild story is true. And don't think I believe it!" he added. Cloud cursed under his breath. "I'm gonna get in contact with Sephiroth an—"

"No!" Cloud said…maybe a little too quickly. He saw Reno below, through the dark windows of the helicopter, look to his passenger, even more suspicious than he'd been before. Cloud tried to remedy his mistake, "Seph—Sephiroth is already looking for her…I don't know where he is. You know he never answers his phone." He hoped Sephiroth was just as ingrained in that habit as he'd always been.

Then it occurred to him—Rude was probably the one in the passenger seat. Rude, who never said a word, but he was in love…or at least, he'd _been_ in love….

"Rude!" he said quickly, "Listen, please! Tifa was my best friend!"

The two seemed a little shocked below by the turn the conversation had taken. "Wh-what?" Rude asked timidly.

"We grew up together, you know? She was my best friend and my first love…and I couldn't protect her. I couldn't protect her from S—from Cloud. She didn't deserve that. She deserved so much more of a life…she deserved someone who could love and protect her more than I could." There was silence on the other line. "I…I can't let what happened to her happen to Aerith! I won't let it happen this time! Nothing can bring Tifa back, but I won't let it happen to anyone else!"

Cloud caught his heart in his throat for a moment. It was starting to sink in…Tifa was gone, at least in this reality. Maybe some of that wasn't really as blatant a lie as he wanted to believe it was…except for, of course, the implication that he was in love with her, too. That was for Rude. But the rest of it…?

Below, there was a little bit of bickering and then Rude took the radio away from Reno. "You wanna save her?"

"Yes."

"…We were tracking a disturbance at the Crater. Looks suspiciously like Cloud, if you ask me. You'll get there faster than we will. Go…go save her."

"…Thank you," Cloud answered sincerely.

Rude stayed silent as he flipped the channel closed. Reno shook his head. "Why did you do that, yo? You actually believe his dumbass story?"

"Maybe not the part about Cloud's long-lost brother," Rude admitted. "But he was telling the truth about one thing. Maybe you'll understand someday.

"If you're lucky," the older man added, "you never will."

* * *

Sephiroth stared into the darkening sky, his back on the cold stone ground. He wasn't sure why he felt so certain it was here. Call it a hunch.

Being so close to the Crater brought him a strange sense of nostalgia that wasn't actually a longing for happy times—it was the opposite, in fact. He was dreading the repetition of history. A few years ago, he'd come here to kill the man he loved. Now he was coming to kill the man who loved him.

_Was that just to confuse me? Or did he mean what he said?_

But in that case, Cloud wasn't crazy. So…he couldn't have meant it, because he was, indeed, crazy.

_Or…is he? Even then…he never showed me that icy smirk or blathered out anything about the end of the world, the Promised Land, or Jenova….and he didn't attempt to destroy the place or fly away on his wing. Come to think of it, he's never been that good an actor. If he was crazy, we'd at least get a hint of it in his mannerisms or the things he said. His level is pretty low for his supposed power, too…._

But that didn't mean anything. Aerith was gone.

_But was it Cloud who did that?_

Of course it was. Vincent saw him. He came back with a few gaping sword wounds and Aerith's wedding ring. And Vincent would absolutely never, ever lie, regardless of his personal feelings. He can admit when he's wrong, unlike you—

_Shut up, common sense. I'm exhausted. Go bother someone else._

He rubbed his face, trying to rid himself of the headache. He really was tired—he'd been flying all day, after all. After an airship, no less. He'd lost the airship, of course, but somehow he'd been drawn to this place. No sign of the _Highwind_, but his hunches generally weren't too far off.

_I suppose I'll get some rest and head into the crater itself tomorrow…unless I can get some more information somewhere. I pray to the gods I'll find her in time, but I can't save anyone in this condition. I've got to sleep._

He closed his eyes. It was nice out, despite how much this place got to him. He could easily relax and fade off with almost no tossing and turning at all. He didn't even regret not stopping to grab a tent once he'd lost Cloud. Gradually, though….

His pulse quickened little by little and he started sweating, even though it was cool. His muscles clenched up. Sounds far off seemed near and sharp—

Sephiroth opened his eyes wide and sat up, gripping Masamune without a conscious thought. His surroundings looked brighter in color, the darkness deeper, the light more garish and daunting…he looked around himself wildly. He knew the symptoms, but this time it came with a side effect that he'd not felt in years—it came with _fear_.

_Cloud!_

* * *

"You alright, Vince?" Zack asked.

"I'm _fine_," Vincent hissed, obviously not. His ass was practically on fire from the jostle of the saddle. After hundreds of years of choquestrian riding as part of everyday life, could the greatest minds of the human race not figure out how to make it more comfortable?!

Zack took the hint and, rather than pursuing the subject, asked, "So…you sure we're going the right way?"

"Yes," he answered more calmly. "I know how Sephiroth works. This is the first place he'll go."

"What if he leaves before we get there?"

"He'll be wiped out after racing the _Highwind_. It's Cid's pride, and Sephiroth is being rash. Once he hits a wall and starts wondering where to go next, he'll drop like a fly, no matter how determined he is."

"You sure?"

"_Yes, damnit! I'm sure!_"

The big kid "meep"-ed and sat back in the saddle. The chocobo slowed a bit with the slight tug on the reins, but Zack spurred him forward again. "Hey…uh…what are we gonna do when we find Cloud?"

"We'll kill him," Vincent replied simply, as though it was obvious.

"No…I mean…about Sephiroth?"

Vincent remained silent for a moment. "I…don't know," he answered truthfully. "Make sure _he_ doesn't go crazy is our first priority, I suppose."

"…You mean after we kill Cloud?"

"Yes."

"But…what if…there's more to it than that?"

"What do you mean, more to it?"

"What if there's…some way that…Cloud is innocent?"

"I didn't appreciate getting his sword in my side, Zack. I don't think there's any chance of that happening."

"But, Vincent! You've gotta admit, other than that run-in and him stealing my bike and the _Highwind_…he's…been really different. Not insane at all, you know?"

"You're awfully relaxed, considering it's _your_ bride on the line," Vincent pointed out with an edge to his voice.

Zack winced. "I'm worried about Aerith. Don't get me wrong. I'm worried sick about her. I just…I'm wondering if we're going in the right direc…tion…."

The two chocobos slowed down on their own, nervously clawing the ground when they saw what was ahead of them. Vincent and Zack stood staring at the swirling clouds over the crater. There was something strange about it; a light seemed to be fizzling from within it…like they were looking into an electronic screen plagued by interference.

"What…is that?" Zack asked. Vincent didn't answer him, just shaking his head. He'd never seen anything like it before.

"Come on," he said finally. He patted the chocobo soothingly and urged it forward. "I think…we've found what we're looking for."

* * *

Sephiroth didn't turn around. He knew who he would see. He knew without hearing the voice.

"_Seph…i…roth…._"

Cloud cooed to him sweetly and deliberately, slowly, basking in the precious moments of reunion. "I knew you would find me here…_Sephiroth_." His footsteps echoed, slow and intense in Sephiroth's skull, coming closer and closer with every painful second. "It's been…far too long."

The general shuddered, clenching his teeth. He recognized the taint of psychosis in his otherwise boyish intonation. Had he been wrong? Had he missed all of this in his idealistic hope that this was the Cloud he once knew? That it wasn't the Cloud he knew now?

"Would you cry for her, Sephiroth? Are you capable of crying?" Cloud's tone became less playful and more serious. "Please…stop trying to play human. We are meant for so much more…and yet, you resign yourself to this. You waltz around half-dead, searching for a meaning that doesn't exist. This world alone…isn't enough. You know what I mean…you've felt it. You've suffered to protect this meaningless life…but _why,_ Sephiroth? Tell me _why_ you would choose a world that doesn't exist over someone you claimed to love…."

Sephiroth turned to him at last. His eyes no longer held sadness—pain, yes, but now the weakness had succumbed to strength and burning hatred. "I'm not the one who chose that over the one I loved," he pronounced with conviction.

Cloud raised his eyebrows, but then slowly lowered them and narrowed his eyes. "How much could I hurt you if I took her away?"

Sephiroth took a step forward, shifting into his battle stance. "Where is she?!"

"Come and claim her…" Cloud challenged, spreading his arms and wing, taking his bigger-than-First-Tsurugi sword into his hand, "…_if you can._"

With no call to begin, the two shot towards each other, clashing once, then pushing back into the sky. Sephiroth spread his wing in-between a clash, just barely having a hundredth of a second to turn and parry a second slash. Cloud wielded his hammer of a weapon with the grace and speed of a katana, throwing onslaughts at Sephiroth out of counterattacks, countering counters, combo attacking whenever he could catch a hole in Sephiroth's technique—but that wasn't often. The fatigue the general felt earlier dissolved with the high, sending him into a rush of speed and power that equaled, if not surpassed, that of the destroyer's. They remained blade-on-blade for several long, intense minutes.

Suddenly, Cloud dove backwards. Sephiroth rushed after him, but hung back just slightly, knowing from experience what would come next. Folding his wing to freefall, Cloud threw his head back, stretching his arms out. He collected a strange dark energy, concentrated it in his palms, letting it grow, and then spun them both into a fast release in Sephiroth's direction. The general dove quickly to avoid a head-on spell in the face, but they exploded in midair and singed his skin as he passed through the veil of black fire. He blinked the ash out of his eyes, attempting to recover himself—and barely threw his sword up in time to block another lightning-fast assault.

"You've grown weaker, Sephiroth," Cloud whispered hotly into his face, pressing his sword up harder. "You're making mistakes…because you want to let go. You're beginning to realize that as much as I torture you, as much as I hate this world as you claim to love it, you can't live without me."

Sephiroth let out a snarl and pushed him back, unleashing a flurry of sword blows on him, most of which Cloud struck aside—but some of which grazed his skin. Blood sliced across Cloud's right cheek as the mere speed of Masamune severed the air and ripped a shockwave toward him.

Cloud blinked, noticing this tiny wound briefly before diving back into battle with Sephiroth again. The two tumbled through the sky, creating a percussive chorus with the ringing of their swords in a violent, seemingly eternal dance. Both kept exactly in pace with the other, neither faltering, yet neither gaining any ground.

Eventually, they both began to gradually slow down, beginning to tire despite the high. Settling wordlessly on a truce point, the two drifted to the ground, still in battle stance, but no longer able to continue so rigorously. Sephiroth prepared to fire spells and summons at him as Cloud readied his own magical attacks. Even fatigued, their magic was still high and that form of battle required little physical exertion…unless one of the attacks hit.

But they never got that far.

The hum of engines filled the air as the _Highwind_ came upon them from above. Though it was too far up for any passengers to see the two men in battle, it was close enough that the two could clearly recognize the ship. It distracted them for a moment.

_What is the _Highwind_ doing up there if Cloud is down here…? _Sephiroth wondered.

"She's beautiful…though a little redundant for we who are chosen…don't you think?" Cloud asked. "It's perfect for filthy humans who want to compensate for what they're lacking and fly in a sky where they don't truly belong."

"Look at _me!_" Sephiroth demanded. Cloud obeyed, but only because he found it amusing. "Why do you care?! Leave humans alone, and for the gods' sake, _stay dead!_ Why do you keep coming back?!"

Cloud looked as if he was contemplating Sephiroth's question, but the approach of two yellow chocobos out of the corner of his eye signaled that it was time to leave. In any case, the blonde found it quite exciting to see how many passengers on that airship he could kill with an "emergency landing."

"Come, Sephiroth," he offered. "Come kill me again so I can return to torment you."

"_Don't you move, Strife—!!_" cried Sephiroth, but it was too late—the winged boy had taken off after the _Highwind_, towards the crater.

Sephiroth swore as he watched his love leave. He swore as he _felt_ it, too—the high subsided and suddenly he felt like he had before—only ten times worse. Cloud was leaving him—and he was leaving a murderer, an enemy. He really wasn't the man he'd been hoping for. His logic and his instinct had been spot-on right. He was miserable, perhaps for the first time in his life, to be so right.

_Why…? Why did he kiss me and tell me…__**that**__?_

"Damn…just missed him," Zack cursed as he approached with Vincent at his tail. Then, more gingerly, "Hey, Seph…I knew you wanted to do this alone, but…."

"Let's go," Sephiroth said.

"Huh?" Zack blinked. "We're invited? You sure?"

Sephiroth nodded. "He isn't the same…Vincent…you were right. He's…lost. Nothing will change that. He'll never be the same…and he'll always be the same."

It went over Zack's head, but Vincent seemed to understand. He dismounted the chocobo—wincing a bit as his backside whined in gratitude—and came to Sephiroth. "We'll defeat him. And this time, we need to come up with some way to keep him defeated. Not for the sake of the world," Vincent clarified. "…For yours."

Sephiroth said nothing, but Vincent knew he'd listened and taken the words to heart.

"Aerith…I'm coming!" Zack said, dismounting as well and taking his own First Tsurugi into his hands.

Sephiroth looked up to the Crater.

_Cloud…I'm coming._

* * *

_**crescendo**__ 1) gradually getting louder, increasing in intensity little by little, building up to a climax…._

**: End Chapter IX :**

Ending Notes: If there was any doubt in your mind, the battle scene between Sephiroth and Cloud is actually talking about sex. If you've taken any Literature classes, you know exactly what I mean, hehe!


	10. FortePiano

**Recommended Listening**: The One-Winged Angel, of course. XD You'll know when you get to that part.

Disclaimer: I've started classes, so here's to the twelve- to fourteen-hour days of holding a piccolo on a parking lot in the rain! That's how it is, and why this wasn't as quick an update as the others. But hopefully it's worth your while! I've been waiting for this part! -types excitedly- Buckle your seatbelt, Dorothy—cause Kansas is goin' bye-bye.

(LoL, I don't own The Matrix XD)

PS, I write these to be imagined in pretty Crisis Core graphics. (I say Crisis Core because Sephiroth looked creepy evil in AC, which I guess makes a lot of sense, but not necessarily in this context.) Feel free to do so if you like! This chapter in particular will be chock full of it, so…happy reading!

* * *

_Alice mused as she ran how ironic it was—that she had truly switched places with the White Rabbit. Now he chased her and she ran and ran against time, not knowing exactly what direction she was headed in. The White Rabbit, however, was faster and found her—but it was alright. She was fine with being found, with losing her head if that was what he'd come for. But go, White Rabbit! If you must take my head, take it and go, for you will be late—and the queen—she'll have your head for sure!_

**Chapter X : Forte-Piano**

Cloud was totally put out, like a kid who didn't get the toy he wanted for Christmas. The stupid airship was empty. There was no one to kill and make Sephiroth sad!

Of course, he figured, he could always just trash the airship, but that wouldn't do him much good. Sephiroth probably wouldn't be more than annoyed about it, and that wasn't what he'd come here for. He'd come to make Sephiroth wish he'd never been born…or at least wish that he'd taken up his offer to follow Mother. Anything else was a waste of time.

He exited, heaving a sigh. There had to have been a pilot, whoever it was…and they would still be wandering around, wouldn't they? Since he hadn't run into them on the way there, they must have been deeper inside the Crater….

Quickly, he ducked behind a piece of the _Highwind_. The pilot hadn't been just wandering around—he'd been right there this entire time! He watched as the blonde in white conversed with Vincent, flanked by a redhead and a bald man in suits... _Who is that, again? Ah…yes…that's the little ShinRa brat. Perhaps he isn't entirely useless after all. I wonder how Vincent got up here so quickly…? He does seem to be a man of many mysteries and talents…._

"The reading's getting stronger," Rufus noted, looking at some high-tech handheld instrument. "We're getting closer."

"Hell yeah we are," Reno whined. "None of my gadgets are working!"

"What?"

"My phone's crappin' out, my GPS, hell, even my mpS-player isn't workin', yo!"

"I thought I told you not to bring your music player on missions, Reno!" Rufus groaned. "This is serious business!"

"I know, I know! I'm sorry…."

Rufus looked back to his instrument and blinked, hitting it with the butt of his palm. "Damn. This one's out, too…."

"Guess we're headed in the right direction," Vincent observed. "Ignore it. Let's keep going."

Rufus held his tongue with some difficulty, wanting to tell Vincent _he_ was the one who called the shots, but reminding himself that Valentine was a special case. He nodded. "Very well."

After a slight pout and a mutter that Vincent was getting better treatment than he and Rude were, Reno followed them with his companion. Cloud crept out of his hiding place as they turned to move on. _There's four of them…the ShinRa dogs I can probably take in one swipe…Valentine might take more than that, but he won't be as much of a challenge as Sephiroth would be, by any means. I can take them all down right here…leave the pieces for him to find on his way…._

Cloud tore his weapon out and flew at them, slicing through Reno and Rude easily and then spinning his weapon around to hit Rufus and possibly Vincent. But when he turned to assess the damage…they were all still standing there. Or…they appeared to be. Their visage fizzled a little, almost as though they were ghosts….

"What the h—" Vincent started, but his voice became broken and distorted…and they vanished.

Cloud blinked at the scene before him and stared. Sure enough, they'd left no trace that they had ever been there. But it couldn't have been a hallucination—he was a psychopath, after all, not a schizophrenic. He didn't see things that didn't exist. He just liked killing people, that's all…and people called him crazy for it. The nerve. They would all die soon, anyway, so maybe it didn't really matter what they thought he was, or what that strange vision was. It'd all be over soon.

* * *

"Did you…just see that?"

Rufus nodded in response to Vincent's question. "But…he's gone now."

"Obviously. Do you think it was caused by the disturbance?"

"It could be…" the president agreed. "If we really are coming close to a dimensional passage, it's possible that we may be able to see into the other side, like peering through a doorway but not stepping through."

"Geez, I hope not," Reno whimpered. "That version of Cloud didn't look like he was happy to see us…or maybe he was a little _too_ happy to see us…." He shuddered.

"That weapon wasn't First Tsurugi," Vincent recalled. "It was bigger, if that's even possible. And that wing…and the fact that he…_attacked_ us…." He shook his head. "I'm afraid…you may be right about Cloud…."

"Let's hope not," Rufus offered earnestly. "We won't know until we find the point of convergence, so let's keep looking…."

* * *

The three heroes trudged along towards the center of the Crater, pensive. Zack had started to get angry at Cloud—_if I find one little chestnut hair on her head's been hurt, I'm gonna beat the goddamn crap outta that bastard!_ Sephiroth and Vincent pondered over something else…something that now seemed to make more sense.

"Do you think someone is working with him?" Sephiroth asked. "Not that Cloud has ever been the type to cooperate with anyone…but the Turks _did_ say that there was some_one_ trying to bring him back…and the _Highwind_ doesn't exactly fly by herself."

"You have a point," Vincent agreed. "That would explain a lot. But who would be crazy enough to try something like that?"

"You think if I called her, we could hear her cell phone ringing?" Zack wondered aloud, totally off-topic. "Maybe then, at least, we could tell where she was…but that would be the first thing Cloud took from her, I guess…."

"Yazoo and Loz are still alive, aren't they?" Sephiroth suggested. "It's possible they saw some good in it…considering the connection between Kadaj and Cloud."

"Hmm…the two of them are powerful, but I wonder where they got the resources for a project like that…without Kadaj, it'd be a tricky operation, even if Cloud has a tendency to rise from the dead." Vincent shook his head. "They're like us—dirt poor, but they don't need money for most of what they do. They fight like demons, they follow orders. You think they could put this together on their own?"

"It's the only thing I've got."

Vincent noticed, with a twinge of sadness, that Sephiroth had fallen back into "mission-mode." He was no longer loose and relaxed as he had been in previous years, since Cloud's last death…then again, since Cloud had returned…. When they believed Cloud had reverted to his old self, Sephiroth had come close to smiling several times. He'd let his guard down more than he ever had before. This whole turn of events, however, was teaching him a hard and important lesson about trusting in people and hoping for better times—a lesson that Vincent didn't want him to learn. But…it was too late now; his son had been wounded.

"Dude! My…my cell phone is…fuzzy?" Zack shook it a little. "No…there's definitely something wrong with it…."

"Did you really expect to get service here?" Vincent sighed, uninterested.

"No—I mean—look! The battery's not dead, but the screen is all weird…."

Vincent glanced at it. "I'm not sure," he said honestly. "Maybe it's something about this place…it feels different from when we last came here. It feels strange…even though the situation is mostly the same."

Sephiroth nodded. "Something is off…and not just Cloud. Something else is going on here."

* * *

Still no sign of Aerith. Cloud sighed. He wondered if perhaps he'd been wrong…but then shuddered to think what might happen to Aerith if he was. He had to keep moving forward.

He'd seen Sephiroth come after the _Highwind_—that person-sized shape with only one black wing could only have been Sephiroth, after all—but he had managed to get away from him somehow. Still, Sephiroth wasn't far behind, he noticed—the fear-high lingered.

He heard a growl in front of him—the cry of a monster. Cloud raised his sword to fight as a bluish half-lion, half-walrus appeared and barreled toward him. The monster seemed pretty weak after fighting with Sephiroth. Cloud took down its health quickly, suffering maybe a scratch the entire battle…but when he went to make the final blow, it went straight through without actually cutting the creature, as though it was a ghost.

"H-huh?!" he gasped. The lion's form fizzled like the screen of Zack's cell phone. It turned to launch itself at Cloud again, but shuddered in midair and vanished entirely.

Cloud straightened up. _…Huh…that was weird. No gil or experience, I guess…._

He walked on for a good while, meeting minimal encounters…but the farther he got, the more that same thing kept happening. He actually managed to kill one of the monsters before its body melted away. _This is getting old_, he thought to himself. _What's going on?_

Finally, he stopped—there was something in front of him a little ways down the path, just laying on the ground…something pink, and—

"Aerith!!" He bolted toward her as fast as he could, diving around obstacles and smacking right through a monster on his way. _Don't be dead, don't be dead!! Please!!_

He came close to reaching her, but—hurried footsteps came into the area behind him. _Damn being in the wrong place at the wrong time!_ Cloud swore, skidding to a stop before he could give them any more reason to skewer him on the spot. _Damnit!!_

"_Aerith!!_" Zack cried, rushing forward, recognizing his damsel in distress, but stopped short, pulling out his own version of First Tsurugi. "Give her _back_, Cloud, or I _swear_ I'll cut you in two!!" he demanded angrily.

Cloud turned back to them to find their faces just as full of malice as he had imagined—but when he looked into Zack's face, he felt a sharp twinge of pain in his chest. Zack had _never_ looked at him like that. In fact, he didn't remember _ever_ seeing Zack look that way towards _anyone_. It was just because he loved Aerith so much, Cloud knew…but…that didn't make his hatred hurt any less.

While he was taken aback by Zack's aggression, he wasn't that surprised to see the brunette's party members join him, their weapons in hand also. Judging by the looks in their eyes, he decided telling the truth would be useless. It seemed like fighting would be, too—he had enough trouble against Sephiroth alone. But all three? He'd have to struggle just to survive…and he wasn't sure he'd be able to throw a blow at any of them. As far as he was concerned, they were still his dear friends….

_Well…except Sephiroth. But…he's in a category all his own, I guess…._

_Well…first things first, I guess_, Cloud decided, unable to face his ultimate demise just yet. "Take her," he said. "Take her home."

"Huh?" Zack blinked, stunned by the ease with which he'd said it. "You mean…you're not holding her hostage?"

Cloud shook his head, lowering his eyes. "I don't know if she's alright…I just got here."

"What? How could you not know?! You're the one who kidnapped her!" Zack accused.

Cloud scratched his head, shrugging, trying to think of something to say that made some kind of sense. "You just…assumed I did. I mean, I may be a bad guy…apparently…but you think I'm the _only_ bad guy? You made enemies of a ton of people in your adventures. Maybe you overlooked someone."

While Zack tried to make sense of that line of reasoning, Sephiroth stepped past him, pointing Masamune straight at Cloud's face from a safe distance. "Go get her, Zack. And be quick about it," he ordered.

"Uh…yessir!" Zack replied, not needing to be told twice. He rushed past Cloud to her side, then dropped to his knees over her, turning her toward him, onto her back. Her hair flowed freely without her rose-colored ribbon—he brushed it aside and put a hand to her face. He exhaled. "Still warm…thank the gods…."

Cloud didn't move a muscle as Zack continued to check her more thoroughly for pulse, wounds, anything, but found that she was basically okay…there was just some kind of status effect on her. Since it wasn't something like Doom, Zack figured he could wait until it wore off…. "Looks like she'll be okay…" Zack informed his companions.

Vincent nodded to him and turned his attention fully to Cloud, moving to a more strategic position that complimented Sephiroth's. _Now that she's safe…_ Cloud thought sadly as he watched, _there's only one more thing for them to do. Looks like there's no chance they're just going to let me go…. In any case, I'll just try to stay alive as long as I can. I won't be able to defeat them…but I can try and live through it, at least._

Zack backed off from the immediate battlefield to take care of Aerith. Fighting two was better than fighting three, Cloud supposed, but it didn't make his chances much better. Sephiroth and Vincent both had death in their eyes much more severely than in Zack's now that Aerith was with him again. _Then again, Zack would probably forgive me just for giving her back safe and sound. I think if I had a choice, I'd rather fight him…._

There was another reason—he didn't think he could take down Sephiroth at all. Not now that he knew Sephiroth was innocent and pure of heart. It was hard to kill him the first time…to murder his hero…maybe even a man he loved. But now that his admiration and love was stronger than ever and even justified, trying to bring harm to him would be nearly impossible….

Sephiroth did not feel the same way.

The general leapt towards him first, giving Cloud only the time to dodge, not time to draw his sword and parry. Cloud dove around seeking some kind of break in Sephiroth's technique where he could do so, but found none—instead, he opted to take one hit to stop and draw it. Of course, unintentionally, the one time he chose to stop and just take Masamune in the arm was at the back end of his combo attack—Sephiroth landed a critical.

Cloud staggered back and took a few more rounds to get back into the rhythm of battle. Once he got on his feet, he would be alright—but he'd been caught by surprise and was already missing half of his health—and the general wasn't giving him much room to gather himself, if any at all. It was a constant struggle just to see the attacks, much less block them—and Sephiroth landed several smaller hits before crashing down on his First Tsurugi and forcing a struggle of strength.

"Why are you holding back?!" he demanded, his eyes cold and his voice harsh. "What is it that you _want?!_"

"I—I'm not." Cloud insisted in a low voice, short on breath. "You're crazy if you think I can fight you like this—"

"You seemed perfectly fine an hour ago," Sephiroth spat.

"Wh-what? Cloud asked, honestly taken aback. "I…was in the airship…that had nothing to do with…."

"I'm sick of your _bullshit!_" the general hissed back, pressing down, forcing Cloud to buckle under the force of his sword. His strength was nothing to be trifled with under normal circumstances, but under a mix of fury and berserk status, it was horrendous. "Fight me with all your being! And this time, _stay dead!!_"

He pushed off from Cloud and aimed another slash at him—aggressively, but surprisingly inaccurately. Cloud took the opportunity to get back into his battle groove and start to dance rather than tripping all over himself. He exchanged blows with his long-time enemy much as he always had—but unwittingly passed up several opportunities to counterattack—many of which earned him a well-deserved bullet in the arm from Vincent at range or a slash square in the chest from Sephiroth. The general, too, was making mistakes—those opportunities that Cloud wasn't taking advantage of were becoming much more frequent than would normally be acceptable to the proud hero.

At long last, a standstill came in the battle—a momentary standstill, but it was enough that Cloud might have found a way to escape. Sephiroth was fatiguing quickly in his rage, while Cloud was basically trying to get out of his reach for most of the battle. His health was suffering, true, but the blonde decided to chance it and make for the _Highwind_.

As he ran, he forgot about one thing—though he was out of Masamune's long reach, Cerberus didn't _have_ much of a limit to its range. And in Vincent's hand, it had zero limit to accuracy.

The bullet hit him somewhere in the back and his body gave out. Cloud collapsed into the rock beneath him, skidding a little from his momentum. He saw blood smear behind him on the stone…and attempted not to panic when he realized who it belonged to….

The cold steel of Masamune slid up under his throat, rivaled only by the sharp, icy glare of the man who wielded it. Cloud shut his eyes. _Damn. It's over. It's all over…Sephiroth is finally going to kill me. No one's here to make a daring and dramatic rescue this __time. All the people who would've helped me are trying to kill me now. I don't have anything else up my sleeve…just totally at Sephiroth's mercy. Which…really isn't much mercy at all._

_Then again, would it be so bad to die here?_ He considered it for a moment. _I mean…it's not like the fate of the world hangs in the balance this time. Sephiroth is sane. He's not killing me because he wants to or because I'm in his way or anything like that…he's killing me because he thinks he's saving the world. And if he'll never believe me…there's no reason for me to try and keep living. There's no great evil psycho trying to destroy the Planet by giant astronomical objects flying into it. There's no one and nothing that can give me peace. So…why am I here?_

…_I think that's just slightly too long a train of thought to take place in the few seconds before I die. Or are all deaths like this? Does time slow down so you can think of everything you wanted to think of before you die?_

_That's another train of thought that I could take hours thinking about. Choo-choo, there it goes, moseying on down the track. Well, that's all well and good…but why am I not dead yet?_

…_Maybe I'm already dead?_

Cloud opened his eyes and raised his eyes up the bloodstained steel of Masamune to Sephiroth's gloved hand, his 1 tattoo, up his arm, over his silver locks, and up to his face. The look in his eyes that said the general was ready to execute remained, but he still hadn't slit his throat or beheaded him or stabbed, mangled, maimed, et al, _killed_ him yet. But _why?_

"Sephiroth?" Vincent ventured with a careful edge to his voice behind him, approaching slowly, so that they both came to tower over him. Sephiroth ignored him, but something in his face twitched painfully.

"_Why?_" he asked Cloud in a low, mourning, angry plea. He shook his head defiantly at his victim. "It's…like night and day…like two different people…I feel the high, but it's not the same…." He swallowed hard. "What is it about _you?!_ What is it that you're trying to prove?!" Sephiroth pressed his sword closer to his skin, making a shallow cut dangerously close to his jugular vein. "_Cloud—!!_"

Suddenly, the pressure of the blade loosened on his neck. Sephiroth came very close to falling forward on top of him, using Masamune as stability from a shock….

"Sephiroth?" Vincent's voice only held concern this time. He stepped toward his party leader, but Sephiroth jerked back up.

"I-Impossible—!" Sephiroth stammered, but got no farther. _I'm feeling Cloud's presence again…but not here?! He's here with me, but…the fear within me…I can feel it from…it's got to be just me imagining it, but…!_

…_No…it's not possible! There…can't be two of them!_

There was a sword clash from behind them, followed by a cry of pain. Sephiroth and Vincent spun around, away from Cloud, to face where Zack kneeled with Aerith—

…_No…!!_

Black feathers danced around Zack. He held his own First Tsurugi in place, keeping the even larger weapon buried into his shoulder from getting any farther—without resistance, it would rip through his ribcage like paper. He struggled against that strength, shuddering heavily in pain, but keeping him from descending in all his colossal power—his assailant kept his head bowed for a moment, but then, slowly, rose up, lips curling into a smirk, cold, ghastly, pale eyes slitting in excitement as he stared into Sephiroth's ashen face across the battlefield.

"Cloud…" Sephiroth whispered, barely breathing the name in all his shock. He began to feel somewhat dizzy—and realized his breathing had halted.

Vincent's eyes widened, and then spun around to look back at the heap on the ground behind him. He looked forward once again at the Cloud with the black wing and the dark, twisted face, then back again at the Cloud with the sword and bullet wounds and the 

soft, sad eyes. Sephiroth, too, turned very slowly to look at both the nemesis beneath him and before him, feeling a surreal sort of numbness set in, attaching itself to his uncertainty.

"Sephiroth…" the more sinister blonde addressed him when his face was turned, sliding his blade slowly and painfully out of Zack's shoulder. Zack gave a muffled howl as it ground out from his bones. Cloud grinned wider, enjoying his pain. "Sephiroth…" he repeated, "What would you give for their lives, hm?"

Zack huffed, trying to regain himself, but the wound in his shoulder made lifting his sword nearly impossible. He turned his head painfully to look back at Sephiroth…and noticed the yellow-and-black lump behind their feet. _Wait…Cloud is…still there?_ Zack took a few double takes himself, then realized that there were two of them. And because of Cloud's vantage point above him, he couldn't see his kinder self behind Sephiroth and Vincent…the black-winged Cloud had no idea his counterpart even existed…yet.

"He…he really _is_ from another worl—!" Zack began to gasp, but stopped as psycho-Cloud's head jerked down towards him. Cloud narrowed his eyes, beginning to ask just _what_ he was talking about….

Hero-Cloud looked up at Sephiroth from behind, able to see about half his face. Though he couldn't see him, Cloud could tell by the voice, the flurry of feathers, and most of all, Sephiroth's eyes, what he was looking at. Strangely, though, the general's eyes weren't growing more tense…they were relaxing. Color was coming back into his face where he'd gone so pale earlier from the shock. He didn't seem to be worried about Zack or Aerith…or even slightly worried about fighting Cloud's other self; he wasn't strained like he'd been throughout the earlier battle….

"Fight me," Sephiroth challenged softly…calmly, even. He took a confident but small step forward, so as to keep the other one hidden.

Psycho-Cloud snapped his attention back to Sephiroth, easily distracted from Zack's misspeak. "But just to _kill_ you would mean _nothing,_ Sephiroth. I want to take away your friends and bring you indescribable _pain_—"

Sephiroth laughed suddenly. Vincent, Zack, and both Clouds jumped in surprise—Sephiroth never _laughed_, especially not as freely and willingly as _that_. _Even when he was insane, he never laughed_, Hero-Cloud thought with a certain amount of incredulity.

"That's _cute_," Sephiroth jeered at his nemesis. "_You_ think you can kill me. I've killed you _three times_, Cloud. On only one of those times did I have my friends with me. It doesn't matter whether they fight with me or not—you'll still fall to me, again and again, no matter how many times you come after me. Is _this_ what you're reduced to? Threatening the members of my party that you can defeat even with _your_ skill because theirs is so _lacking_ compared to mine?"

Zack made a face and started to protest painfully, "_Hey_, now—OOF!" Cloud shoved him aside, flying towards Sephiroth, settling after closing about half the distance. He was _not_ amused.

Sephiroth took the hilt of Masamune with both hands and brought it to his signature stance at his cheekbone. "Come and kill me if you can!" he challenged assertively and spread his own wing, flying after his long-time enemy.

Vincent glanced back at Hero-Cloud one last time. "Stay hidden," he commanded after an awkward moment, and leapt after the two super-humans locked in battle.

Cloud blinked a little. _I'm kinda still riddled with bullets and slashes, you know…but that's okay. You guys just…go fight the other me._ After a moment more of staring after his friends, he made a face. _Damn. My other self looks pretty awful. I guess that's kinda what happened to Sephiroth, though, right? His face got all sunken in and dark instead of fair and beautiful like it is now…._

_Not that this is the best time to be thinking about how beautiful he is. Not that it matters either way, since I'm too weak to do anything._

Cloud, though his vision was starting to blur, looked over to where Zack was…. _Passed out. I'm not surprised. That's a pretty bad wound for just one attack, and the other me just had to throw him halfway across the…._ Then he stopped. _Wait…the wound is starting to heal?_ Sure enough, the green glow of cure material was re-attaching muscle fibers and weaving strands of skin back together…. _But…if he's passed out, who…?_

A small, soft hand touched Cloud's shoulder just as he realized she'd gotten up and left Zack's side. "Aer…is," Cloud managed through a mouthful of blood, not bothering to correct his pronunciation.

She looked down at him with understanding, genuinely concerned eyes. _Gods,_ he loved those tender eyes, and did he ever need them now. "It's me…don't worry. Don't say anything, okay?" She didn't bother to correct him either.

She began healing him, but his health was totally down and it was taking quite a while. Aerith looked worriedly up at the battle in the sky. Even from a distance, it was easy to tell which way it was going. He watched Vincent drop out from the sky and out of the fight a little ways over.

"Go…to him," Cloud implored her.

"No, Cloud!" she chastised gently, turning to him again. "He'll be okay. But _you_ have to heal!" Cloud started to speak again, but Aerith pressed a finger to his lips, keeping one green-glowing hand on his chest. "You accomplished the same things Sephiroth did, right? But you had it harder because you didn't start out with the incredible power that Sephiroth began with!"

Cloud blinked at her a few times, not quite understanding what she was getting at. It was taking him a second just to hear and comprehend each of her words, much less take her obscure meaning….

Aerith jumped and gasped as Sephiroth skidded into the ground near them, crushing rocks up from the ground and creating a wound in the landscape. He dropped to one knee and a hand just as his backward motion stopped. PsyCloud pulled up in front of him, wounded, but not nearly as ragged as Sephiroth looked.

"Next time you start _mocking_ me, Sephiroth, you _may_ want to consider whether or not you're going into battle with only half of your health and a bad status," Cloud sneered haughtily. "Though…for coming in to this so decidedly weak, I'll admit you've put up a delightfully _fantastic_ fight. Why don't I repay you by giving you an equally _fantastic_ death?"

Sephiroth glared at him with a conviction that was not the same as the last glare Hero-Cloud saw in him. This look was full, as though he had no unease in carrying out his full duty. It was as though he'd found something new to believe in, and he was ready for whatever the other Cloud could throw at him.

_He's going to get himself killed!_ Hero-Cloud thought in a panic. He'd fallen in love all over again seeing that look in his eyes, but in this situation it was _not_ good. Sephiroth was going to lose, and get himself killed doing it—

Cloud tried to get up, but Aerith pushed him back down. "Please, don't! You're not in any shape to fight yet, Cloud!" she pleaded with him.

He groaned, realizing at that point that he wasn't even in any shape to push back against _her_ strength, let alone someone as powerful as Sephiroth. That was pretty bad. Still… "I—I've got to—!"

"Ohh!!" she sighed, dismayed by his tenacity. She closed her eyes, clasping her hands, trying to block out the sounds of Sephiroth struggling to keep up with his enemy behind her, concentrating within her. "Come on…come on!!"

Aerith started to glow…quite literally. Cloud recognized the glow as a limit break…but he was wondering how much good Healing Wind would do…Fury Brand might help, though. Surely Sephiroth could use a limit boost….

One might imagine Cloud's shock as a light shone down on them and three angelic creatures descended from the sky. The light began to repair even the most grievous of his wounds. He did _not_ remember her being able to do that.

"What…is _that?_"

Aerith smiled at him. "This is my fourth-level limit break, Great Gospel…."

"I think…you must've _died_ before you got around to learning that one…."

PsyCloud turned, seeing the great white light, but Sephiroth recaptured his attention with a quick swipe. His opponent merely smirked down at him and hammered him back with a series of fast, powerful attacks. Sephiroth left a single opening—and got a round slash square in the chest. He went flying back into a stone cliff, dropping down once the force of his body had made a huge crack in the natural wall. No sooner had he collided with the ground than he looked up to see Cloud closing in for one final blow….

…And Cloud dished out his first.

Sephiroth stared as a nearly identical shape crashed into his assailant and the both of them flew off to his right. After watching for a second, he could only tell which one was which because one, of course, had a darker face—but one was absolutely shocked, unsure of what hit him and unable to regain himself, while the other was unleashing a flurry of blows on him. PsyCloud struggled, having lost his balance and his form, taking more hits than he was parrying, while Hero-Cloud pressed forward, focused and strong.

The general glanced to his left as Aerith ran to him. "I'm alright," he insisted quickly. "Go…go help the other two," he stammered, still in shape enough to fight, but unable to fully grasp the situation just yet.

Aerith nodded with a look of determination that was really too cute to convey her sense of intensity. She knew that even if she could counter Cloud's stubbornness, Sephiroth would _not_ be swayed, and her other friends _did_ need her help.

_And he'll be alright,_ she thought, turning to run to Vincent and Zack. _I believe in Cloud. I believe he can do this._

Hero-Cloud finished his combo with a bang and then stepped back. PsyCloud flew back and then flipped back onto his feet, whipping his head up to stare at his new adversary—and his face distorted even more. "Wh—what?!" he gasped, backing up. "How—who—?!" Maybe if he threw out enough indefinite pronouns, the answer to this wild, impossible turn of events would come to him. _How the hell can I be staring at—can I be fighting—__**myself?!**_

Sephiroth looked on, seeing that the importance he'd placed on the element of surprise had worked out. PsyCloud's guard was down now—they had him where they wanted him.

Hero-Cloud's body began to glow quite suddenly. PsyCloud jumped back, knowing what was coming and knowing he was not prepared for it.

"Aerith's limit break is pretty impressive," the sane one said to him. "But…I think _mine_ is going to make a much _bigger_ impression…."

First Tsurugi resounded with a cerulean glow and split apart, surrounding PsyCloud. The twisted blonde looked around himself wildly, not recognizing this attack, nor seeing any place to dodge when the swords converged. Hero-Cloud's glow turned gold and he propelled himself forward….

One slash for each sword and one with the entirety of First Tsurugi. Sephiroth, Aerith, and their freshly revived companions watched from below. Cloud sent himself spiraling down, his health nearly devastated with the force of Omnislash Version V.

Hero-Cloud allowed his swords to fall in a circle below, and then landed lightly, catching the base of First Tsurugi in his hand. His friends came to his side, Vincent limping, but the others ready to support him.

Sephiroth came near to him and asked softly, "…Why didn't you use that on me? You could've taken me out instantly."

"I reserve it for insane mass murderers with a mommy complex," the blonde answered.

Sephiroth couldn't help himself—he smiled slightly. "Cloud—"

"I would've attacked you, too," he cut him off gently. "Don't worry about it."

PsyCloud struggled to his feet, staring at the five of them incredulously. "Who—" he hissed at Cloud, "Who _are_ you?!"

"Well…I guess I'm you, but not…kinda," Cloud said, shrugging and scratching the back of his head. Realizing he'd just pulled a "let's mosey," he added, "I'm…nothing like you." He raised his sword to his mirror image. "Let's end this!"

The darker Cloud glared at him, unable to lift his sword in defense, but also unable to accept defeat. He prepared to take the killing blow as Cloud powered toward him—

And with a blast of darkness and garish blue light, the blonde hero spiraled backwards through the air.

His party members yelped in surprise and dismay. Sephiroth flew back towards Cloud, taking him swiftly into his arms before he crashed into the hard rocks in his path.

Cloud gasped a little. "What—what was that?!"

"Sephiroth!!" Zack cried to him in shock, seeing what had appeared in their path.

Sephiroth and Cloud looked back to where PsyCloud was standing. Before him, another figure had appeared, cloaked in an aura of darkness and an eerie mako-blue current. The glowing subsided as the figure touched the ground lightly, and those who'd taken part in Crisis recognized him immediately—

"Genesis!" they said in unison.

"…Who…?" Cloud asked blearily. The name was familiar, but he didn't think he'd had any lasting contact with him….

Sephiroth flew back to a safe range before Genesis and PsyCloud. PsyCloud pushed himself up. Genesis raised a hand back to the revived destroyer.

"Don't worry, Cloud," Genesis assured him in a silky voice, keeping his gaze on the heroes. "There is no hate, only joy. For you are beloved by the goddess," he quoted. "You will be reunited with your mother soon if only you'll allow me to aid you…."

"Genesis!" Sephiroth hissed, placing Cloud on his feet. "How are you still alive?!"

"You're not…degrading?!" Zack asked. And indeed, Genesis looked almost as though he'd been fully revitalized….

"I am not," Genesis confirmed, smirking pridefully. "I have found the secret to immortality, and with it, I have found the _gift of the goddess_. But I have not obtained it yet," he sighed. "I must first earn this gift…. And _you_ are going to assist…whether you mean to or not."

"What?!" Sephiroth replied in question.

"You heard what he said," Yazoo's voice traveled up from behind them.

They turned to see the two brothers, Loz with a black lump of something strapped to his back, holding it tightly as though it were precious. "We're not going to let you stop us from achieving Kadaj's dream this time!" he declared, coming up on them.

"So you were in on it, as well…" Sephiroth growled, turning back to Genesis. "You were the ones trying to bring Cloud back…."

"And we succeeded, didn't we?" Genesis asked. "Granted, we didn't count on a double finding a point of convergence by accident and traveling to this world…" he muttered, directing his thoughts to the more heroic Cloud, "but it doesn't matter. In fact, this is to our benefit. I'm sorry, but I'll have to ask you all to leave. We're going to find the point of convergence here…and you're not coming with us."

Vincent narrowed his eyes. "By 'point of convergence,' do you mean the gateway to another world?"

Something fizzled near them…and suddenly, Reno appeared out of thin air. He looked around at them all, scared suddenly. "Dude! Sephiroth?! Dude! Yo, Vincent, there's two of you! And—and two of Clo—!" His voice cut out as the image of his body fizzled again and disappeared.

"Those…those visions…what are they?" Cloud wondered aloud.

"Quantum shadows," Genesis explained. "Those from another world who are affected by the point of convergence can temporarily see into this dimension, and vice versa."

"So…why do you want to get to another dimension?" Zack asked earnestly.

"That you should already know," Genesis replied darkly with a sick laugh.

The others looked confused, possibly PsyCloud most of all, who had had nothing to do with any of this before now. Hero-Cloud stepped forward, closer to Genesis than the others were. "Cut it out!" he commanded. "What are you trying to pull?!"

"Cloud, be careful! He's stronger than he was before!" Sephiroth warned. He took a single step forward.

Their surroundings rippled.

Genesis's eyes widened. "No…_No!!_ Get back!" he shouted at Sephiroth, but it was too late.

A fierce wind kicked up around him and the backdrop around them seemed to implode, leaving them to be swallowed in darkness. Sephiroth stumbled—the others nearly lost their balance as unknown forces pulled on them from all directions. Yazoo grabbed hold of Loz just as the two of them were sucked away into some sort of dark oblivion; PsyCloud tried to cling to something, but fell back as well; Zack grabbed Aerith, but just as they started to slip away, he rammed his sword into the ground to hold their position.

Sephiroth found he could not move to help any of them and watched as the scenery was destroyed. Genesis, barely holding on, turned to the closest enemy he could—Cloud.

"Damnit! I…I won't let you pass!" he declared, drawing his thin sword.

Cloud, just barely hanging on himself, stared at him, knowing he wouldn't be able to stop the blow. Just when Genesis came forward, however, Vincent came in front of him—and took the Rapier through the chest.

"Vincent!" Cloud cried for him, but it was already done. He felt Vincent's warm blood on his face.

"Cloud…" Vincent forced out, taking hold of the Rapier in his body, "…forgive me."

Cloud blinked at him for a moment, unable to speak. Then, he said, perhaps in honor of another dear friend who passed away, "…For what?"

Vincent glanced back at him and smiled a little. He took up Cerberus and took aim at Genesis's forehead—and blew it off.

The two of them were swallowed up by the vacuum around them.

Cloud heard the others call out his name and looked back, but he already felt the vortex tugging at his body. He looked back to Sephiroth, who reached out for him, desperately, and in vain. Before he could gather himself, the darkness overwhelmed him and his sight left his eyes, pulling him into nothingness.

* * *

Sephiroth opened his eyes.

He was standing in the same place he had been before he'd triggered…whatever it was. But there was no one there.

"C-Cloud?" he asked into the silence, in barely more than a whisper. _No…no, no, no!! Where is he? Where are Zack and Aerith and—_

A gun cocked behind him, followed swiftly by another and a "bzzt" sound. He turned around, gripping the hilt of Masamune—but then relaxed. "Vincent…you're still here…are you alright?"

"…What…?" Vincent hissed in a low voice, pointing Cerberus straight at him, narrowing his eyes.

"…I'll take that as a yes," Sephiroth concluded, slightly confused by the harshness of his body language. He looked to his side, where Rufus and his Turks stood. "…When did you get here?"

They looked around at each other, somewhat uncertain themselves. "Nevermind," Sephiroth said. "It doesn't matter…."

Vincent took a slow step forward. "Where is Cloud…?" he asked in a low growl, still keeping Cerberus locked and loaded.

"I…I don't know," Sephiroth said, a touch of concern coming to his voice and his eyes. This only confused the others more.

"SEPHIROTH! HEY, SEPHIROTH! CLOUD! VINNY! WHERE ARE YA?"

Sephiroth turned at the sound of Zack's voice echoing and went to the edge of the cliff they stood on. A little down the path below, Zack stood with Aerith calling out.

"Up here!" Sephiroth called. "Vincent is here with me! Have you seen Cloud?"

Zack looked up at him and threw his arms in the air with a shrug. "What happened? Are you guys alright? Where's Genesis and them?"

"I don't know…but everyone here seems to be alright. Come on up."

He turned back to Vincent and Rufus. "Would you stop pointing those at me?" he asked irritably, motioning to the guns. "Genesis is gone. There's no need for that."

"Genesis…?!" Vincent asked. Sephiroth blinked at him as Zack and Aerith came up the path.

Reno, Rufus, and Rude choked at the sight of them. Vincent's gun dropped.

"Hey, guys!" Zack said. "Hey, when did you Turks get here? Dude, what's wrong? You look like you just saw a ghost! Well…maybe a couple of ghosts…."

Reno stuttered, pointing, "A-a-all three of ya, yo! Y-you're all dead!"

"Come _on_, Reno! I thought we were _past_ the threats!" Zack whined.

"It's not a threat!" Reno insisted. "It's a _fact!_"

"Huh?"

Aerith danced over to Sephiroth and clasped her hands, ignoring the boys' bickering. "Sephiroth-kun? Will you please, please, _please_ let me heal you now?"

"Huh? Oh…well…I suppose so," Sephiroth replied, snapped out of his thoughts.

Vincent choked a little. "S-sephiroth…_**kun?!**_" he repeated, incredulous. "Aeris…did you just call him…?!"

Sephiroth looked up, holding up a hand. "Wait, wait! What…did you just call her?"

"Aeris," Rufus repeated.

"Aeris?" Zack repeated again.

"With an 's'?" Aerith asked.

Zack blinked a few times, and then grinned in recognition. "Oh, wait—you guys are from Cloud's—"

He stopped dead. "Oh…."

Vincent stepped back. "You…you must be…!"

"We must be…" Sephiroth finished, "…In _Cloud's dimension_…."

* * *

Cloud stumbled into Seventh Heaven. He'd never felt so awful in his life. Well…maybe except for that second time he'd fought Sephiroth. That had been pretty bad.

Tifa looked up from where she was at the bar. "Cloud!" she cried, running to him, grabbing his collar. "Where have you been?! I've been worried _sick_ about you! And look at you, covered in wounds…oh, Cloud…."

Cloud squinted at her. "…Aren't you…?"

She looked genuinely concerned for a moment…_for a moment._

Her concern quickly turned to rage and she slugged him hard in the jaw—which was no trifling matter from Tifa. Cloud stumbled back. "You—you know, you could've just told me you were gay!" she shouted, getting right to the subject.

"Wh…what…?" Cloud asked, disoriented.

"You _know_ what I'm talking about!" she snapped. "All this time, I've been waiting for you, hoping, wishing, loving you, and you're in love with—with _Sephiroth,_ of all people?!" She scoffed. "I can't _believe_ you! Get _over_ him! He isn't _real_! He doesn't _love_ you! He's a guy, and he's insane, and he wants to kill you along with the rest of the _Planet_! Didn't you get that the _first_ _three times_ you fought him!?"

"He…wants to destroy the Planet…?" Cloud repeated.

"_YES,_ Cloud!" Tifa nearly screamed at him. "I _think_ he _does, _you _idiot!_"

Cloud blinked. "Is…that…so…?"

Tifa couldn't help herself—she started crying. "You—you _deluded_, _stupid_—!!"

He looked down at her and gasped in recognition…her tears brought forth the memories more clearly than her face. "Oh! That's right…now I remember…but…"

He took her face roughly in his hand and turned her towards him, despite her struggles. She looked up at him finally, but then stopped dead. She looked up into his eyes…and they were familiar…but those eyes…she had seen them on someone else…in Nibelheim…in the crater…when she'd lost so much….

Cloud smirked. "Didn't I…_kill you?_"

* * *

_**forte-piano**__ 1) Playing at a huge volume and intensity and then suddenly coming back down, shifting to the opposite end of the spectrum._

**: End Chapter X :**

Ending Notes: So, this lengthy chapter marks the end of an era. I got sick of writing battle scenes halfway through, if you couldn't tell, hehe. But I hope you like. Thank you for reviews, faves, and just plain old reading!


	11. Improv

**Recommended Listening:** I don't know...some cute, hopeful instrumental like Aeris's theme or something pretty from .hack/ anime? Or maybe Simple and Clean… "So…and maybe…some things _are_ that simple."

Disclaimer: Sorry about that super-long chapter earlier, hehe. I promise we're on the back end of the fic now, so I won't drag you along for much longer XD. We still have a few more unexpected twists yet, though….

* * *

_Spring was in the air and even the Black Queen began to feel it was the season of love and new life, even in this strange world where everything was rightside-up and leftside-left. The White Rabbit realized that Alice was no longer following him and searched for her longingly, but could not go far because of the people of the real world who did not believe in talking rabbits with pocket watches. They were going to kill and skin him, but for some reason he didn't pay much mind to the strange, rational, logical people. He was too busy searching for the little girl in the blue dress who had chased after him, even into the beautiful garden of death._

**Chapter XI : Improv**

"So Rufus and friends are going back to Edge ahead of us?" Zack asked.

Vincent nodded. "I think it's best that they get a warning before we walk in the door with Sephiroth."

Aerith recalled when Cloud had pulled Fenrir up in front of the Seventh Heaven in their world and how shocked they'd been…. "Yeah…that's probably a good idea. But anyway, we're with him…so it should be better, right?"

"That's the only reason I believe you," Vincent sighed. "Otherwise, I probably would have blown your head off…."

"I understand. That's what you tried to do to Cloud," Sephiroth reasoned.

Vincent blinked. "What?"

"In our world. The other you."

"Oh…" Vincent said, understanding his meaning perhaps better than he might have otherwise.

_The other world…._ Sephiroth fell silent, his thoughts drifting. Cloud was either still in his world, somewhere in this world, or…well…_gone_. He shuddered almost invisibly, tensing his body involuntarily. _Cloud…don't be dead. Whatever happened to you, wherever you are, be alive. Be well. Be sane. Be okay. I don't know where to even begin to look for you. And I can't just leave now what with the suspicions against me—just suspicions, I'll admit. That doesn't mean I can just ignore them. If I could, I would fly into the sky at this very moment to scour the land for you…and if I couldn't find you, I would find another point of convergence and come to find you in another world. But Aerith is here…and Zack, and Vincent, and the rest of your friends that see me as a murderer…._

Sephiroth's snapped out of his anxious reverie when his companion spoke. "Speaking of our Vincent…did you see what Genesis did to him?" Zack asked, lowering his voice.

Aerith's face turned downwards. "I hope he's alright…."

"It's very likely that our Vincent didn't survive," Sephiroth pointed out gingerly, with some reservation. "It looked like a fatal wound…." On seeing Aerith's face, he added quickly, "But…Vincent isn't one to die that easily. He _did_ sleep in a coffin for a good many years…death doesn't seem to be something he needs to fear…."

"Well…this isn't awkward," Vincent interrupted. "You're talking about someone who is me, but isn't me, as though I'm not standing right here."

"Does it bother you?"

"Not particularly," Vincent admitted. "I think it bothers me a little more that I'm even speaking to you like this."

Zack laughed a little. "Yeah, I mean…you watched your son go crazy and try to kill everyone, and now you're just chitchatting like family again, huh? That's gotta be a little weird."

Vincent turned to him and narrowed his eyes questioningly. "…Family…?"

Zack stared for a moment, not quite grasping why he was asking. He shrugged and repeated nonchalantly, "Uh…yeah! Family! Your son…y'know. Seph."

The dark man in red blinked a few times, his eyes widening a bit and his lips parting. He looked to Sephiroth, then back at Zack with a look that plainly asked if he was kidding….

Zack suddenly realized what the confusion was about. "Oh…shit. You…you didn't know, did you?"

Valentine's face grew even more, if it was possible. "You mean…I…he…?!" He wheeled around to look at Sephiroth, the possible dismay or joy in his expression virtually unreadable through the shock. "…_How?_"

"Well…I…assume that…you and Lucrecia…" Sephiroth stammered, shifting uncomfortably. _I understand his animosity towards me…but…if he rejected me as his son…well. It's not as though he raised me…but…._

Vincent blinked a few times. "Lucrecia…?" Sephiroth nodded slightly, tensing. His father lowered his eyes with a confused, somehow deep look in them. He turned his head away for a moment, not in shame, but just drawing back to process. He breathed slowly.

"I…never knew…." Vincent looked up at him. "I don't think…_anyone_ knew. I…I suppose the secret…passed on with her…."

A wind kicked up around them, signaling the approach of the _Highwind_. Cid's voice called down on loudspeaker, "Uh…Vincent? Are…are you a'ight?" Knowing that Cid couldn't hear him from up there, he nodded and beckoned him to come down closer. "Ahhh…" the pilot started, a little unsure of how to approach the situation. "Ya…ya know yer…standin' next ta…."

Vincent sighed. "So it begins," he sighed heavily and stepped forward to attempt to explain.

* * *

"Thanks," Tifa said softly, taking the warm ale from him. Rude nodded to her awkwardly, stepping back, shuffling a little. Reno sniggered a little, muttering something about "k-i-s-s-i-n-g." Rude cuffed him.

"Are you sure you're alright, Miss Lockheart?" Rufus asked.

"Ha. Since when do _you_ care, Mr. President?" She sighed. "Alright, alright. So you've changed your ways. I'm sorry…I just…it's not that I don't trust you..."

"Yeah, it is, yo! Whaddaya talkin' about? You still think we're a bunch of dogs, like in the old days, yo!" Reno interjected.

"Well…maybe," Tifa admitted. She pulled the blanket on her shoulders tighter. "It's just…I didn't expect…." She shuddered. "Thank you…seriously. I mean…if you guys hadn't come to my rescue, I guess I'd be in bad shape right now…even if C—if…_Cloud's_…health _was_ pretty low…." She forced the name out with some difficulty…and then considered that his low health was probably the _only_ reason they'd been able to stave him off. She swallowed a sob stubbornly. "Why…_why_ did he attack me? Why did he…why did he look as though…he'd gone crazy?" Her voice nearly failed her. "It was like…looking at _Sephiroth_…but…I was…I was looking at…."

The others had faced him with her; they knew exactly what she meant. They'd been just as confused…especially by his eyes. Especially by his wing. Though, they knew at least a little bit of why that had happened…she knew nothing.

"Miss Lockheart…" Rufus began, "…I think it's time we…informed you about something."

Tifa looked up at him and gave a hollow laugh, as though she'd been expecting this from the moment they'd walked in the door. "Well," she groaned, "It's about damn time."

* * *

_Everyone is staring at me…._

But that wasn't what bothered Cloud so much. What bothered him was….

_Why aren't they screaming and running away? Why are they pointing and…squealing? __**Fangirlishly?**_

He thought back to the previous events, taking his third high potion out to drink. _Well…that Tifa girl was alive. Tifa __**was**__ her name, right? Right…well, it doesn't matter. It matters that she was alive. And then that Genesis guy with his quantum theories…and then the other me…. The other world. That's right…they were talking about other worlds, other dimensions. Genesis had said the other me was from another dimension._

_So does that mean I'm in that other world? Where I was defending the Planet? Really?_

He looked around. Kids especially seemed to twitter excitedly to their parents at the sight of him—the great hero Cloud, who'd saved the Planet from Sephiroth, from Jenova, and from Geostigma, they said. Even the parents, after they'd told their kids it couldn't possibly be him, stopped to stare.

He sipped on his high potion still and sat down. _Actually, I could get used to this. I don't enjoy people's company, or the stench of these…things…on the streets…they're not loved by Mother. And why should they be? They aren't chosen. They should be wiped off the face of the Planet. But…being able to sit here and still be called a hero is…kind of amusing._

He smirked to himself and sat there people-watching for a bit. It was somewhat relaxing, taking a break from the huge, literally earth-shattering task ahead of him. Was it disturbing that he was imagining how they would all scream when they died? Not to him. And Sephiroth, quite frankly, wasn't around to lecture him on protecting the innocent and that kind of crap.

His smirk melted away a little as he realized something…something life-changing.

_Sephiroth…._

_Sephiroth…isn't the hero here. Sephiroth…loves Mother here. He couldn't care less about protecting the innocent or the Planet. That's what the children are saying. He wants the same thing I do…._

_He never betrayed Mother. He never betrayed me._

His mouth twitched upward a little bit, and even _his_ slitted, malevolent eyes warmed at the thought. He remembered fondly how close he and Sephiroth had come…close to being lovers, even. Before Sephiroth rejected his true calling, that is, and ran him through with Masamune. How _painful_ that had been, not from the sword, but from the words, from the look in his eyes. And it was possible that if he could find Sephiroth here…he'd never look at him that way again. They could work together to destroy this cursed world…the way it should have been.

_Well, that settles it. Before I do anything else, I'm gonna find the Sephiroth from this world._

_Now…If I was a Sephiroth, where would I be…?_

His palm smacked into his head. _I have no idea. Usually, I'd just have to wait for him to come to me. But he won't be doing that if he's on my side now. I have no clue what to do._

"Uh…excuse me, sir? Are you…Cloud Strife?"

Cloud looked up at the man who addressed him. He was a scrawny middle-aged man with a camera on his neck, a tape recorder on his belt, and a pencil and pad in his hand. _A reporter,_ he decided. _Well, why not? Might give me a good laugh._

"Yeah…that's me," he answered, trying not to sound too intimidating. Which, considering his small-town dialect and boyish voice, was actually pretty easy to do.

"Oh, that's great!" the reporter piped up enthusiastically. "I'm Evan Jones. I'm with the _Cutting Edge_ newspaper. I've written articles on all your exploits and adventures from Crisis to Meteor…but I'd really like to interview you about what you've been doing since then—"

"You've written about…_everything_ that happened…?" Cloud asked, suddenly very interested.

The reporter nodded. "Everything."

Cloud stood. _I could find out everything that happened in this world…and maybe I could find where Sephiroth is!_ "If I come with you, do you think you could show me some of this?"

"Of…of course!" he answered excitedly. "Right this way!"

Evan Jones turned up in his own paper a few days later, front page news. The story was that he'd been found dismembered in his office and that much of the articles he'd written on Cloud Strife had been moved, pilfered, or destroyed. The perpetrator and the reason were still unknown.

* * *

Four jaws laid flat on the ground. Eight eyes bulged. Tifa, Nanaki, Yuffie, and Barrett stared at Zack and Aerith as they entered. Anyone would have. The dead had come back from the dead.

Aerith took one look and squealed. "_Tifa!!_ You _are_ alive!! You really _are!!_"

She danced over to Tifa, throwing her arms around her neck. Tifa, still slightly shocked, returned the hug softly. "A…Aeris…? You're…?"

Zack closed the distance in two long bounds and pulled them both into his arms and up off the ground, ecstatic. "Tifa! You're alive!! Haha!! You're safe and sound and—oh, yeah! We're dead too, aren't we? Well, guess what? We're not dead!!" He grinned.

"I…I can see that…!" she stammered, partly from shock, partly because she couldn't breathe in the double-bear-hug, squished against Aerith's and Zack's bodies.

Zack then saw Barrett and let her down. "Barr—_ett!!_" he said, stressing the back syllable in a sort of gangsta-tribute.

He leapt over to throw his arms around him too, but Barrett threw up his two hands—counting the gun, that is—first. "Ho—hold on there a sec! What the _hell,_ man?!"

"Huh?" Zack blinked. "What's wrong?"

"Don't get too touchy-feely just yet, Fair," Cid warned him, coming into the bar as well, where Vincent had summoned everyone else to be. "You ate them bullets waaaaay before any of these people ever knew you. 'Cept Tifa, of course."

"Oh," Zack sighed, drooping like a scolded puppy. "Well…" He turned back to Barrett and held out his hand. "I guess we'll start over, then. I'm Zack Fair. Nice to meet you…again!" He smiled warmly.

"Uh…you too," Barrett said, a little unsure, taking his hand.

"Let's make friends again, shall we?"

"Yeah…sure. Whatever…. Hey, ain't you that SOLDIER that Cloud was talkin' about? That guy that died?"

Aerith ran past Zack. "Do you know _me,_ Barrett?"

"Of course I do! Come 'ere," he said, embracing her like an old family member. "How are you alive, though?"

"Oh, so _Aerith_ gets a hug and I _don't_. I see how it is," Zack pouted.

"Vincent! It's about time!" Barrett called as he entered the bar slowly, motioning to someone behind him to hang back for a second. "What the goddamn _hell_ is going on here, coffin man?"

Vincent cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well…it seems that…ah..." Sigh. "Nevermind. Just…promise me, all of you. No one draws any weapons, no one starts shooting, no one starts asking questions until you give us a chance to explain. Agreed?"

"What do you mean…weapons?" Tifa asked. "Who's back there?"

Nanaki flattened his ears and stalked forward, low to the ground. "Vincent…that smell…is it…?"

"What does he smell like to you?" Vincent asked non-sarcastically.

"…Different." It was all the answer the feline could come up with. "It doesn't smell the same as it did then…."

"I'm glad I can count on you to have an open mind, then," Vincent muttered. "Please, all of you. Try not to react too much to this. I promise I will explain everything."

He stepped aside. The guest of honor lingered in the doorway, and then…hesitantly…stepped forward into the light.

* * *

Cloud poured over the documents. Most of them were as he'd expected. There was just one thing that drew his attention more than anything else….

_**Sephiroth's Return, or False Alarm?  
by Evan Jones**_

_If you saw Cloud fighting Sephiroth in the skies above Edge, you saw correctly. If your office was the one toppled in the feud, make no mistake—it was either Masamune or First Tsurugi. But how is this possible when the world knows that Cloud Strife defeated and ended the life of Sephiroth, the general who lost his sanity and attempted to destroy the Planet?_

"_It's hard to say whether or not Sephiroth was actually present then," Tseng, former ShinRa Turk, now working with the Strife party, told us. "His temporary return only came to be through the body of another. We believe this person was a remnant of Sephiroth himself."_

_The person's name was Kadaj. He bore a striking resemblance to Sephiroth and traveled the world seeking both Cloud and a way to return Sephiroth to his original state with his two lookalike "brothers."_

_Sources say he carried some cell clusters of the Jenova monster with him, more commonly known as Jenova's Head. He was also responsible for the kidnapping and possession of many of Edge's Geostigma-infected children._

_Kadaj eventually found a way to transform himself into Sephiroth. Needless to say, Cloud Strife once again defeated him and heroically saved the world as he did the first time. However, is there need to worry about another return from this mass murderer?_

"_Kadaj was killed, so I don't think he'll come back again," Tifa Lockheart, another member of the Strife party, told us. "It was only temporary, anyway. Kadaj is Kadaj and Sephiroth is Sephiroth. He couldn't have come back for good. It was actually Kadaj the whole time. Besides, if someone else ever comes along who's crazy enough to try to bring back Sephiroth, Cloud is still here. We're still here. We'll be ready."_

So, Sephiroth had come back once before…in the same way Kadaj had facilitated Cloud's temporary return. That had been pretty fun until Sephiroth had unleashed that horrible limit break….

_Didn't I see Kadaj's body in that vat of…whatever it was…where I woke?_

He gave it some thought. Yes…he was sure of it. He was sure there'd been a heartbeat there. Kadaj was still alive. And as he'd been on the possessing side of the situation, he knew that it would be the real Sephiroth who surfaced, unlike the conjectures in that article…it would truly be the man he admired most…in the most admirable form he could imagine.

_That thing they carried…Kadaj was there, at the point of convergence that Genesis was talking about. So he must be somewhere in this world._

_My Sephiroth…my Sephiroth is in reach._

_All that matters now…_

…_is you._

* * *

It was tense.

"Hey, don't look at me," Cid muttered. "I'm just as confused as y'all are. But lookin' at these two," he said, motioning to Zack and Aerith, "and how friendly they are with Sephiroth, I can't say as I can prove it wrong. I don't wanna believe it, but there it is."

Nanaki watched Sephiroth fiercely. "I don't feel like he's a threat, like you say," he admitted. "But…."

Sephiroth shifted somewhat as the rest of them spoke. _Damn. Now I feel sorry that Cloud had to go through this. Surely it isn't bothering me as much as it bothered him. Cloud always took things much too hard for his own good. That was part of what drove him insane, I guess. And now he's still out there, and here I am in interrogation, stuck in the back corner in this room filled with my friends, even the ones that have been gone for years, helpless to find him or help him._

"It's true," Rufus insisted. "We've been tracking these disturbances for some time now. I'll be willing to back up the claims scientifically if I have to."

"_Damn_," Barrett sighed. That was the only word he'd said out of the entire language for the past fifteen minutes.

_What if he's in trouble?_ Sephiroth wondered, missing the conversation. _He was fully healed. But…I haven't had any word from him. Nothing. Not from our Vincent, either. And after what happened back there…what if that thing he was sucked into was some kind of oblivion? What if he was brought to another dimension entirely? I might never find him again if he appeared in some other world…._

"I think…what they're saying might be right," Tifa said. All eyes turned on her. "I…I hate you," she addressed Sephiroth directly, who only just came back to reality. "I hate you so much…for taking everything away from me…and taking Cloud away. But…." She swallowed hard. "Just now…I was attacked…by Cloud."

"What?!" Zack jumped up. "You mean…like, he was all insane and stuff?!"

Tifa nodded. Sephiroth blinked. "You must have…met the Cloud from our world…."

"But Cloud was sucked away, wasn't he?" Aerith asked.

"Yes…." Sephiroth nodded. And, without much warning, his face involuntarily softened into a relieved smile. "Yes…yes, he was."

Zack blinked at him. "Uh…I think you missed the point, Seph. That was a bad th—h-hey!! Wait a sec!! Are you…_smiling?!_"

Sephiroth stood. "That means the _other_ Cloud is here too…" he said to no one in particular, ignoring Zack. He headed towards the door.

"Wh…where the hell do ya think _you're_ going?!" Barrett interjected.

Sephiroth turned around to face them all. They all looked about ready to kill him, despite how open-minded they were trying to be. "Look…" he said finally, easily, "I'd love to stay and await judgment…but frankly, I don't think it's going to be as simple as just calling me 'Rayne' and leaving it at that. While you're all bickering about my innocence, I'm going to go find Cloud. He's still out there somewhere, possibly in danger, especially if _our_ Cloud is there, too. And I…" He paused a moment. "I can't…leave things like that with him."

Zack blinked. "But…I thought we were good? He understood we jumped to conclusions…."

"We're talking about two different things," Sephiroth cut him off gently. "This is more important than that."

"I…don't understand," Zack replied.

The general turned away once again. "I have a chance to make things right." He took a deep breath. "I have a chance…to save part of the world…for myself, this time. I won't let him slip away…I won't let circumstance tear him from me."

_He pledged love to me._

"He is…."

_And I…_

"My reason…for living."

_I must…pledge it back._

Somehow, none of them found if within themselves to grab hold of their weapons to attempt to stop him, or even simply to call out to him. He flew into the night with no disturbances or outcries. And frankly, he didn't care if people thought he was a monster. He didn't care if he had a Rayne story or not. All that mattered was Cloud.

_All that matters now…_

…_is you._

* * *

_**improv**__ 1) short for improvisation; a solo line that is made up on the spot by the player, not the composer, spur of the moment, with endless possibilities_

**: End Chapter XI :**

Ending Notes: Tried not to recap/repeat events too much. Sorry if I did. Shorter chapter, but it's good enough for a transition and it's not a horrible cliffhanger this time, hehe. Still, good Cloud is nowhere to be found. Does make you wonder, doesn't it…?


	12. Countermelody

**Recommended Listening**: I don't know. I listened to Dragonforce's "Evening Star" a lot while I wrote this, though it doesn't really go with the story. It mostly just goes with FFVII in general, with the theme of finding the promised land and all…and anything Dragonforce does is automatically epic, of course. Or maybe "Christmas in the Thirteenth Month" from the Ragnarok Online soundtrack. It has a nice "something about this is terribly wrong, but I don't know what it is" kind of feel to it. And the way the characters are "waltzing"…you get the idea.

**Disclaimer**: After a good long spout of writer's block in which I just could NOT figure out how to tie this part of the story to the ending-third of the story, I am back. Thanks to a good friend of mine, I have a little Chibi Sephiroth on my shoulder telling me how my story should go, hehe. Chibi Vincent has also helped tremendously…. And currently, Chibi Sephiroth needs to wash his mouth out and get his mind out of the gutter, hehe. We'll see, Seph. We'll see.

In other news, Chibi Genesis is telling me how to best torment our darling characters, hehe! Let us begin.

* * *

_The Black Queen sought out her missing king while the White Rabbit chased after Alice. Was one to be found and one to be lost, or both to be found or both to be lost? There was no way to say for certain. In a world where everything made sense, the Red Queen was surely gone…._

**Chapter XII : Countermelody**

"_We_ should be the ones looking for Cloud," Tifa thought aloud. Rude sat at her bar while Reno spoke with Rufus and Vincent. He had a feeling that Reno had left him alone on purpose.

"Then…why aren't you going after him?" he asked. He had a perfectly good reason—he had to stay with Rufus and the Turks. But Tifa could go whenever she pleased…so why wasn't she?

"I don't know," she admitted. "I guess…now that I know, it's a little…I have to think." She poured herself another drink, throwing her head back with it. Rude admired her ability to take a fifth one and still not show any signs of drunkenness other than becoming a little more truthful. "And it's strange…I saw Sephiroth in Cloud and Cloud in Sephiroth. I didn't feel like I should _need_ to go after Sephiroth. I hate Sephiroth with my whole being, but it was like talking to a real hero…like he wasn't even the same person. Which…I guess he's not. But…I shouldn't feel so…so _good_ about it, damnit!" She washed her glass and whined, "I hate this."

Rude just listened to her rant. Listening was what he did best, after all. Yet, suddenly, her attention turned to him. "You know what?" she asked, calming herself.

"Uh…." He was taken aback. "...What?"

"You…really did a good job back there," she noted honestly. "When you came to my rescue, I mean. I almost thought you could've taken him on by yourself. I've never seen you fight with such…_zeal._"

A light pink tinge crept into Rude's cheeks. He could just _feel_ Reno's sniggering eyes on him. "Uh…well…you…seemed as though you could use some assistance, Miss Lockheart," he stammered.

She smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Then, with a weight to her words that she was unaware of and was absent, in fact, to all but Rude, added, "But, really…thanks."

Rude just nodded to her, maybe said something along the lines of "it's nothing" or "just doing my job." But on the inside, he was beaming.

* * *

Sephiroth had almost jumped the gun on seeing Cloud. It was a good thing he hadn't.

When the blonde turned around, he saw it was the wrong one. Those cold, cruel, unstable eyes…. _I'd know those eyes anywhere. I've stared into them so many times…wondering why…._

_Why…is he just __**talking**__ to people?_

Surely, Cloud Strife—that is, the evil, insane one—would be murdering people in the streets. Yet…he wasn't. He just strolled around, asking questions of passers-by. Sephiroth kept his distance so that he wouldn't be spotted, but he was immensely curious, and for all the right reasons. There was no reason he'd bother himself with what civilians had to say unless he was up to something.

He waited patiently, following slowly. Finally, someone Cloud had spoken to peeled off in his direction. He flagged the man down quickly before anyone else could see him. Of course, the man froze on seeing that long silver hair and the tattoo on his arm—that was Sephiroth's trademark, after all, aside from Masamune. If there were people who didn't recognize him before, there was no one on the Planet who would miss him now.

"Excuse me…" he said, but before he could say anything at all, the man started whimpering. He sighed—perhaps in order to get what he wanted, he was going to have to play the part…at least for the moment. The man didn't look like he was capable of moving otherwise. _If only he knew that the real murderer was the __**other**__ one…._

"You," he said, in as dark a voice as he could manage—which was a hell of a dark voice. "Tell me…what did he say to you?"

The man whimpered again, and Sephiroth advanced. He whined louder, but then blurted out, "H-he said—he was looking for—a guy with silver hair—like you—but—but younger—and—and—maybe—with two other people—li—like him!"

Sephiroth wore a confused look for a moment, but then realized. _Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz…he's looking for them._ The puzzled expression returned as quickly as it had gone. _But…why? What use are they to him? He couldn't care less about them, could he?_

"My thanks," he told the man, forgetting about his act for a moment. "Ah…don't tell anyone about me, alright?"

The man nodded, shutting his eyes tightly, nearly in tears.

When he opened his eyes, Sephiroth was gone.

* * *

Yazoo and Loz had set up camp in the woods somewhere. They had very little idea where exactly that was, but at the moment that wasn't what was first and foremost on their minds. The monsters there seemed to be weak enough, and they could find food and shelter pretty easily. They had bigger and more pressing problems.

Genesis was gone. Kadaj was still unconscious and his body unstable. Genesis wasn't there to help him if something went wrong, but on the other hand, he was no longer using them, dragging them along on an iron leash with his crazy schemes. There was no one else to whom they knew for a fact that they could go, but at the same time, it was freeing. After all, they had never known for a fact that Genesis was going to help them in the first place, so they were essentially back where they started—but better off.

Kadaj slept peacefully in Loz's arms. Yazoo thought about going over and taking him from his older brother—it was his turn, after all—but Loz was a crybaby. Besides…his beloved younger brother looked so beautiful there, so calm and serene, that he didn't have the heart to move him.

It wasn't that he didn't want to wake him. No…he would have given _anything_ to wake him. No questions asked.

"It's quiet," Loz commented. "…Peaceful."

Yazoo nodded. "Yeah…for once." He sighed. "I wish Kadaj could be awake to enjoy it.

Loz nodded as well. _Great, _Yazoo thought grudgingly to himself. _He's going to cry anyway. Geez. As much as I love you, Loz, you really need to grow up._

_But…I guess not growing up isn't so bad. The youngest of us is, in fact, the eldest of us, and vice versa. It doesn't really matter…because we have Kadaj. Even if he isn't awake…we'll find some way…._

A crack ran through the air quite suddenly, forcing Loz and Yazoo to jump up with their weapons in hand by reflex. They looked to the west to see a tree float for a moment, and then come crashing down. A monster? A man? A friend? An enemy?

They weren't going to stick around to find out.

"Put it out!" Yazoo commanded Loz, who took Kadaj onto his back and poured the kettle of water they'd been planning to boil out over the fire. Yazoo gathered what little they'd brought with them and tried to hide the rest in case it was someone tracking them. Though he couldn't cover the fire entirely, he scattered the ashes and shoved some leaves and straw on the ground over it.

Having no time to double-check, the two bolted the scene in haste with Kadaj, their most prized possession. However…they didn't expect their pursuer to have the speed of the wind. Black feathers danced around them before they could even lose sight of the campsite.

A familiar voice commanded them:

"Give me Kadaj."

* * *

"You think Cloud's alright?" Zack asked.

Aerith only sighed. "I hope so."

"What do you mean, you 'hope so?' Don't you have like…a sixth sense about this kind of stuff?"

"It doesn't work like that, Zack. I think I'd be able to feel it if he was part of the Lifestream…but that's all."

"Aw," Zack grumbled. "Isn't there anything we can do? Can't we go after him?" He clasped his hands behind his neck, leaning back in his chair. It looked about ready to fall over, but Vincent, Red XIII, and Aerith didn't say anything…though Aerith looked close to have an anxiety attack. "We oughta be helping them. Seph and Cloud. Y'know. Why aren't we?"

"You're the second person to say that," Vincent said to him. "But…face facts. We won't be able to catch Sephiroth now. We don't know where he's gone, and we have no idea where to start looking for Cloud. Even less than he does."

"There's no use worrying about it," Rufus cut in from another table. "If everything you say is true…we still have no idea if Cloud, Genesis, your Vincent, and the brothers are still alive. Obviously, dimensions weren't meant to open into each other either, but we don't know how it happened or how to correct it...or if it needs correcting."

"Then let's find out!" Zack piped up enthusiastically, leaning back farther. "You're smart—what _do_ you know about it? Whaddo we do first?"

Rufus scoffed, flicking his wrist out at him. "What—you expect the answer to just fall into my hands?"

Zack jerked backward, yelping out in pain as the back of his head—as well as his entire body—hit the floor. A strange, nearly invisible energy rippled through the room, upsetting glasses full of whisky and tea and nearly unfurling Aerith's little pink ribbon. Before they could figure out what sort of cosmic force had flown into their bar, it calmed, as though it was a passing breeze, and dissipated.

Something plastic and rectangular dropped into Rufus's outstretched palm.

"You're shitting me," he muttered, though swearing was not becoming to him. If there was anything he hated more than incompetent people, it was to be publicly insulted and embarrassed by karma.

"What is that?" Tifa asked from behind the bar, coming through the miniature door and out into the patron's area.

Rufus gave it a once-over. "It's…a videotape. Ah…let's see…it's marked…." He pulled it out and blinked, his eyes popping wide. "It's…_my name?!_"

"Hold on, sir!" Reno said, taking the tape from him. "This could be _dangerous,_ yo? If you watch it, you might get a nosebleed and then some creepy assassin will call you and say in a creepy voice, '_You will die in seven—_'"

Rufus snatched the tape from him and whacked him upside the head with it before he could finish. Tifa snatched it from him once he'd done so, heading toward the TV that overlooked the bar. "That ripple…. You said that was what happened when you came to _this _world, right, you two?" she asked, turning to Aerith and Zack.

Zack took a second to think about it while Aerith nodded. "Yup," he confirmed. "Sounds about right—oh! That tape is from another world! Maybe our world!"

"Maybe," Tifa shrugged, popping the tape in. "Let's find out. Maybe it'll start making some sense out of all this."

"Or make it more complicated," Rufus muttered. He and everyone else in the room hoped that wouldn't be the case.

* * *

(PLAY)

(0:00:01)

_Rufus backed up after turning the recorder on, sitting back in the dirty wheelchair he'd spent the last few years of his life in. It was also the chair in which he would spend the last few __**moments**__ of his life. He knew it was close._

"_Good evening," he began, but then cleared his throat awkwardly. He didn't think that was appropriate for this situation. A few thunderless glows of lightning fumed in the dark, cloud-ridden sky behind the broken window in the back. Everything looked very grey._

"_If you're watching this tape," the president continued, "I will assume that you belong to a dimension different and separate from my own. I will also assume that yours is the dimension that Genesis currently resides in._

"_You may or may not already know this…but there are infinite dimensions. With each decision we make, another dimension appears where we did not make that decision. If you went left in this dimension, another exists where you went right. If you joined the military, there is another dimension where you didn't. Or if you dropped out, there is one where you stayed. As there are infinite possibilities, there are infinite worlds in which those possibilities come into being…._

"_In case that's confusing to you…there are a lot of parallel universes. More than you can count, and all of them are different._

"_As for us…." He didn't continue for a few seconds, a shadow falling over his eyes. His throat tensed for a moment and his teeth clenched tightly, as if holding back some deep anguish. At length, he breathed deeply, shuddering as he exhaled, and then covered his mouth with his left hand as a hacking cough rose up. It sounded horrible even though it was muffled—and the black marks of the all-too-familiar disease on his bared left hand showed why._

"_Our dimension…is lost."_

_

* * *

_

Sephiroth swore. _Damnit! I lost him!_

Where had he gone wrong? He'd tracked insane-Cloud here…and then he'd just disappeared. Into thin air.

The odd part about it was…he hadn't felt the battle high when he'd been so near to Cloud. He was only made aware of it now…because it was returning, without Cloud's presence. He stared over the plains with a heavy glare, trying to spot Cloud again, but he couldn't see him. Perhaps it was because he knew Cloud was there, but didn't know where he was? Was it the fear that created the high? But then…

_Why am I no longer afraid?_

…_Is it…because…of __**my**__ Cloud?_

A now familiar feeling came over him…he closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply only once. It was true, he knew…because the sane Cloud – his Cloud – had given him life and meaning beyond a meaningless existence…because once they were at an understanding, he looked into his eyes without prejudice or predisposition…without either idolizing or loathing, without fear or superficial awe…because he looked at Sephiroth with a deep and unconditional love even when the general lost trust in him and drew Masamune to his throat…because he refused to even defend himself against the man who tried to kill him…because Cloud knew his innocence and could not deny his heart. How long had the proud silver hero searched for something real only to find emptiness and falsehood? How long had he struggled to reach out to others only to have them ripped away? How long had Cloud also been groping, taking only fistfuls of air as he grasped for clarity and something—_anything_—that felt right?

And now that they'd found it…found one another. Was it right that they could be separated so cruelly…?

"Cloud…where are you?" he whispered to the silence, clenching his fists, allowing his face to tighten in anxiety. Where had he gone? Why hadn't he returned? Why hadn't he sent word or _something,_ even if he couldn't come? Why hadn't he at least heard something? Was he dea—

_No. Absolutely not._

There had to be something else.

He _could not_ be. He could never be….

Something caught Sephiroth's eye below as he flew overhead. This place…he hadn't seen it since…well, that hadn't been the real place. It had only been a simulation. Still, he tired, and decided he would come to rest on the point of the harbor…one of the last places he'd sparred with his close friend, Genesis…when he was still a close friend. Even if it hadn't been the real place…it had still looked exactly like this then. It still littered his memories.

They, his closest friends, really his only friends from those times, had been ripped away…and so had his mother, his father—which may have been a good thing or a bad thing depending on whose version you heard—Tifa, Barrett…so many countless others. And Cloud had lost Zack and Aeris, as well—his closest friends. It didn't seem right or fair that all this would be taken from them, only to find happiness…only to be taken away.

_No…I'll find Cloud. I'll follow him to the ends of the Planet and into the Lifestream, if I have to. I won't let him slip through my fingers…not Cloud. Not now. This is one happiness that I refuse to let go of._

There was a small clacking sound behind him. Sephiroth whirled around, certain it wasn't only his imagination, but he saw nothing…nothing but the stone harbor, glowing in the light of the fading sun just as it had the last time he'd seen….

"_**Seph-i-roth…"**_

The high intensified sharply as the words rang behind him deliberately. A single black feather blew forward, stroking Sephiroth's cheek tenderly as it passed. The hairs on the shaft blurred and quaked in the effects of the rush.

_That voice…?!_

He turned slowly to face his enemy, slowly bringing his eyes toward the other's face. His face, that Vincent had blown off before, in all of its perfect glory, twisted and beautiful at once, remained, just as it had been…as insane…as cruel…as smug. The red knight had returned to brandish his rapier again…but how? He'd been torn apart at the point of convergence…so _how?!_

Genesis smirked at him, delighted by his _face_. "Sephiroth…so wonderful to see you again."

* * *

(00:01:28)

_Rufus swallowed back the mucus of his pestilence and continued, slowly, more gravely, "I don't know what's happened in your dimension…but in ours, the situation is bleak. We fought against Genesis and against Jenova, but his power was too great. He defeated Sephiroth, Zack, Cloud, Reno...Rude…Vincent…Tse…." He trailed off then, unable to speak the name of his most trusted bodyguard. "…He…killed…many of them. And when Meteor hit…we were helpless to stop it. He absorbed the Lifestream into himself…."_

_

* * *

_

"Surprised?" Genesis laughed on seeing Sephiroth's horrified face. "Oh, don't look at me like that…not when I went through so much trouble to bring you a gift!"

Genesis swept down atop the doorway over the outstretched path on the harbor which Sephiroth stood on. He was carrying something quite large with him—two somethings, actually, though he moved too quickly for Sephiroth to identify exactly what they were at first glance. "It's state-of-the-art, of course, and perfect for a swordsman like yourself. Though…." He turned slowly to face Sephiroth smugly. "…it…_is_ a little broad for your taste…and its reach not quite as long. It's not Masamune by any means, but it's quite a versatile weapon."

He swung the heavy piece of steel over his shoulder and down into the edifice on which he stood. First Tsurugi glimmered in the light, all seven of its parts skewed and awry from its locked position. "Oh, ho, ho! You recognize it? Of course you would…a man of such skill with a blade…" Genesis confirmed, drawing out his words as though he were slowly pressing a knife into Sephiroth's open chest. "It's beautiful, isn't it? Even when it's a little scratched and broken…I'm sure you can fix it up." He smirked. "Take good care of it, Sephiroth. Its former owner never parted with it. You'd have to pry it from his _cold…dead…hands._"

A shrill laugh burst from his lungs at the sight of Sephiroth's reaction. A cold realization had drained the color from the general's face, horror parting his eyelids by leagues. Genesis tossed the sword unelegantly down at him, where it clattered gracelessly to a standstill. "Here! Take it! It's yours! Take it as a keepsake to remember him by!"

Sephiroth stared at it, attempting to grasp the weight of his words, but something wasn't clicking. Denial…that was the spider's thread that was holding him up, enabling him to remain on his feet. "…Y…You…."

"That's right," Genesis giggled. "Oh, he tried _so hard_ to avenge Vincent. He came at me with everything he had…but he'd spent quite a bit of it defeating the other Cloud. No limits, no magic left…he went down hard…but he came down…with a force so great and terrible that it made the whole Planet tremble…."

"Vincent…?" Sephiroth breathed, barely able to voice it.

"Hm? Oh, yes. Of course. Did I not tell you?" Genesis asked innocently. "The Turk has-been, right? Oh, he put up a valiant effort. It's too bad…that it was all in vain. I would have brought that brass arm of his for you, too, but it was much too bulky to haul around in addition to your other present. I think this one was much more…_thoughtful_…and _considerate_."

He looked down at Sephiroth's dejected disposition, the fists that clenched up, one of them branded with the number "1" he'd been running from all his life. Well, it looked like he was going to allow Genesis to keep talking, at any rate…to continue reciting the poetic lines of this most crushing defeat. "He made it all too easy…stepping in my way like that," he continued. "I made quick work of him, for someone who's supposedly so skilled. I guess he wasn't everything they said he was. A minor character, after all. That's too bad.

"Well, at least he protected Cloud, neh?" He chuckled, then gasped, as if realizing something. "Oh…wait…but in the end, he couldn't, could he?"

Sephiroth's head snapped up. How…_dare_ he make so light? How dare he tease and laugh and cast aside Cloud's life so flippantly?! The great hero's wing flared up again, unfurling as his glare intensified, and suddenly he could not contain himself any longer. Genesis…_Genesis…._

_You…you will __**die!!!**_

Sephiroth leapt into the sky with all his strength, rage, passion, thirst for vengeance burning within him. Genesis seemed unphased by the sudden attack, unsurprised, and unafraid, but that didn't matter. If he wasn't afraid now, Sephiroth would put the fear in him. Genesis had _never_ been able to stand up and defeat him. And now…now when rage so fueled him…he wouldn't stand a chance. He would fall with a force as great and terrible as his own evil and treachery.

And in a moment, it was done, annihilated, cast down with such hatred and finality that it could not be undone even if Sephiroth had in any way wished it to be. Masamune cut clean through his throat, relieving Genesis of his most vital organ, stripping him of his existence and his life.

And it was over.

Genesis had always challenged him…but never had he been so easy to silence.

It was numbing, unnatural…that so grievous a crime could be avenged in only a few seconds. It couldn't…could it?

Genesis had never gone down without a fight…never.

And now….

* * *

(00:02:06)

"…_And now he is unstoppable."_

_Rufus paused a moment to let the gravity of that statement sink in. "Do you understand? He __**cannot**__ be killed. It wouldn't matter if the Meteor had come down on him and him alone, tearing his body to pieces and burning the remains to nothing—he will piece himself back together and he will heal! What he can't heal, he regenerates…no status will claim him, no weakness to be exploited, no surprise tactic can be taken against his omniscience…he's practically become a god!"_

_

* * *

_

There was nothing in the way of satisfaction to accompany Sephiroth's revenge. There was no feeling in his heart. What…had happened? This changed nothing…. Cloud was still…_gone._

…_Gone…._

He looked down at Genesis's dismembered body…and then down at the other thing his most hated enemy had been holding. A body…? Whisps of silver hair framing the face of no one more than a child….

…_Kadaj…?_

"Sephiroth…you know, it's rude to interrupt."

Sephiroth stopped stark still. It…wasn't possible!

Genesis's head, lips moving, eyes blinking, smirked up at him as greenish tendrils of energy flowed from his jaw down to his stub of a neck on his body and back, pulling the two together. Pieces of skin and muscle reached out and reattached until it looked as though it had sewn itself back together, no stitches…just a disgusting fusion of flesh and bone.

And so, he rose. Sephiroth backed away, shock and terror lighting his eyes. Genesis laughed softly. "Ahhh…Sephiroth. Are you afraid? You certainly should be…if you mean to kill me. That…ah…seems to be your intent, unless I…misinterpreted that?" he asked, stroking his healing throat. It made a low hissing sound as it repieced the last severed cells. He looked back at Kadaj and picked him up, standing up straight once more, as Sephiroth widened the distance between them, unsure what to do. "…Oh!" Genesis noticed the look of confusion. "You noticed Kadaj. Yes, well…if you'll allow me to finish…. Do not despair, great hero! I have brought you your…_salvation._"

* * *

(00:02:43)

"_Even our strongest heroes couldn't defeat them…even our most advanced weapons and technologies." Rufus shook his head. "There was nothing we could do to stop him once he had absorbed the Lifestream._

"_We thought perhaps…that we could do something…__**something**__, if only we, too, could tap into the powers of alternate realities…but we are too late. I have nothing left…and no one left to turn to. Elena, too, lies dying in the next room…all are dying."_

_A small meteor outside the window crashed down into the earth, creating a distant explosion…followed by another, and more. They began to swarm the skies. Rufus glanced back, but only for a moment, with a sad calmness. His face was that of a dead man walking._

"…_My time runs thin._

"_I pray that you, whoever you are, will find a way to defeat him that we could not. The Lifestream…it moves everything, and everything moves in it._

"_The key is surely there…but while Genesis holds that power…._

"…_He holds everything."_

_Rufus reached up to press the stop button on the recorder._

"…_Goodbye."_

(NO INPUT DETECTED)

* * *

"In this world, Kadaj became you…in your world, he became Cloud. So…he has the potential to summon both back into this world," Genesis explained. "So…in this world, if you attempted to restore Cloud…wouldn't it be the Cloud of this world? The one you chased after…? The one you _love?_" He held Kadaj close, tauntingly, and turned his face gently upwards only to lick his cheek provocatively and offensively.

Sephiroth took another step back, starting to understand where this was leading…why Genesis had killed Cloud and made such a devious, disgusting deed of it, only to return and spit in his face. "…You think you can hold him hostage and try to control me?!" He growled. "I already know that Kadaj's ability isn't true…it's transient and no more than an illusion of a face coupled with its real power!"

"No, no, no…but it _is_ true, Sephiroth! You can just ask the Cloud of _your _world…oh, wait. He's dead, too, isn't he?" He shrugged. "Oopsie. Well, all the easier it will be for you to return Cloud to his original state."

"You're a filthy liar," Sephiroth accused bitterly and harshly. "And a bad one, at that. You can speak in riddles all you want, but you can't lie to me!"

"And you're a stubborn ass," the red knight shot back. "Even if it _is_ true, nothing I can say would convince you."

"If it was true, you wouldn't be telling me! You have no reason to return Cloud to me…not after—!" He couldn't bring himself to finish that sentence.

"Ah!" Genesis lifted a finger. "Ah, ah! Now there's the thing, isn't it? I have no reason to return Cloud to you…that's true." He smirked, laying Kadaj down on the stone. "However…" lifting his head, "…I have every reason…to make you fight for him."

Sephiroth gave him a piercing glare, but Genesis seemed to hardly notice. "You know why? Because you and I both know that you can't kill me. There's no skill or power you have that can put me to death. No one has that kind of power. Not now that I have taken the ultimate power into my body!"

"Ultimate power…?"

Genesis drew his rapier. "Come now, old friend. Why don't you come this way…and face your death like a good hero should?"

Sephiroth faltered. If Genesis was immortal as he said he was—and there was plenty of evidence to support that fact— there was no way…and the power he had shown before, in the crater of his world…a power even greater than that of the Cloud that had gone insane, or that of his own beloved Cloud, too, apparently….

As a courtesy, Genesis asked, "Does the player have one last line he wishes to recite before his final exit?"

A monstrous voice emerged, shaking the foundations of the edifice they stood on.

"_DIE!!!_"

Genesis spun around, but too late to fend off the attack from the colossal beast. Sephiroth drew in a sharp gasp—Chaos! It was Vincent! He'd _survived!_

Only a few seconds into the brawl and Genesis had thrown him off, but Sephiroth acted quickly…he flew down upon him when Vincent had flown back and tackled him with a flurry of blades. When Genesis had gotten a combo-breaker in and pushed him back, Chaos swept in again to deal a few blows….

…And that was when Sephiroth noticed. Vincent was missing a limb. No…two limbs. His left arm had been ripped clean off…and then one of his legs….

That only infuriated him more, and he leapt after Genesis as soon as he had the opportunity. This was going to stop, here and now. For Vincent, for Cloud, and for himself.

He would fight for his happiness…the happiness he'd finally found and embraced. And as long as his friends, Vincent, others like him, would still fight for him after losing an arm and a leg already—he would fight to the death!

* * *

It was quickly decided after watching that video that they could not sit around and wait. Even if Cloud was someone Sephiroth had to find on his own…Genesis was _not._

"Yo…. You don't really think he…_survived,_ do ya?" Reno asked. "I mean…Zack and Aeris said he was really, definitely, head-blown-off dead!"

"You heard what he said!" Rufus interjected from the back seat of the helicopter. "I mean…what I said. N-nevermind that. The assumption we have to make is that he wouldn't be killed…even by a shot to the head."

"But then…what are we going to do if we find him?" Rude asked tentatively. "If we can't kill him…."

"Even if all we can do is pinpoint his position, it'll be better than doing nothing. Also…it'll unfortunately confirm the theory…that he is indeed immortal," Rufus grumbled.

Reno fidgeted uncomfortably. "Yeah? Well…." He whimpered a little. "I hope we find him with his brains splattered on the ground somewhere."

At that moment, Reno's cell rang. "Yo?"

"Hey…Reno? Can you do me a favor?"

"Uh…who's this?"

"Ah—Zack! It's me, Zack!"

"Oh, yeah. Dead guy."

"Yeah, sorry…I forgot you wouldn't recognize my voice…hey, listen! Can you do me a favor while you're out there…?"

"Yeah, shoot."

"Can you…also keep an eye out for Cloud? Either of 'em? I…well, I just…you know."

"Yeah, yeah. I know what you mean. You keep an eye out too, alright? I'll keep mine peeled. We all want Cloud back safe an' sound, yo? I mean…the real one. Our Cloud."

"Yeah. Yeah, of course. I'll call you back if I find anything."

It was almost twenty minutes, as they were passing over the plains of the world map, before Reno spotted something down below.

"Yo, look! A chocobo!"

"Reno…keep your mind on your mission for once," Rufus growled.

"Aw, I'm keepin', I'm keepin'! I'm just…." He blinked. And squinted. "But that…really?"

"What is it?"

Reno suddenly became very excited, enough so that he almost started jumping up and down in his seat. That wasn't a chocobo—that wasn't a chocobo at all! He started clicking switches on the control pad. "Hang on, Sir! I'm takin' us down!!"

* * *

It was no good.

Sephiroth attempted to pull himself up off the ground, but Genesis's rapier pierced his shoulder hard, pinning him there facedown. A few dozen yards away, Vincent lay lifeless, reverted from his Chaos form, bleeding from his missing appendages. It was a wonder he'd survived this long….

Hell, it was a wonder _Sephiroth_ had survived this long.

Genesis just wasn't taking damage…all the blood they drew was quickly healed up as though it never had been there. If he hadn't had that power, they may have at least had a chance….

"Do you see now how futile it is?" Genesis smirked. "I thought you'd ruined my plans, but it's all worked out nicely. With both you and your beloved Cloud out of the way, this world is as good as gone…not to mention yours. But I'll have to find a way to get back there…it's not an easy task to return to the same dimension twice.

"There must be something special about the Cloud you love," he admitted. "He opened the pathway between his world and yours, and went back through it, to the exact time period as well. It's not easy to manipulate time and space with such precision…and yet he did so without even thinking."

He laughed at the fallen hero. "But what does that matter to a man about to join the countless souls of the Lifestream? About to join in _me?!_ Pathetic. I guess your role in this play is over, fair hero. All are punished."

As a passing thought, Sephiroth wondered briefly what it was about villains that made them want to gloat and have these long monologues about how evil they were and how the heroes would never win.

And then he thought of Cloud, as the blade passed out of his back and lifted to deal the final blow. He would be joining Cloud soon. Of course, he had wanted it to be different…he had wanted to live with Cloud. And he'd wanted to exact his revenge. He'd wanted so much…. And so much was taken from him, after he gave so much for the world. Was it all for nothing?

Suddenly, Genesis gasped above him. "_You!!_"

Sephiroth just barely lifted his head back enough to see…it was Cloud!! Cloud had come—no. He was once again disappointed…the darkness over his eyes proved it wasn't the one he'd been seeking….

…But Vincent was alive! For the time being…. And Cloud the insane, who Genesis had also claimed dead, also here, living, standing, breathing….

…Did that…mean…? Maybe…?

He suddenly realized what Genesis was so alarmed about—Cloud was holding Kadaj's body.

Genesis had left it unattended so that he might do battle with Sephiroth and Vincent…and Cloud, in all his trickery and insane whims, had snuck up to take him. What he wanted Kadaj for…well, why would he? What would be the point?

Genesis flew after him, but Cloud ducked down, instead of spreading his wing, into the dark crevasses of the harbor. He knew he couldn't outrun Genesis…but he could hide as much as he wanted.

He had to have Kadaj. He _had _to.

Because—_Sephiroth!!!_

And just like that, Genesis had forgotten about killing Sephiroth. His life had been spared by fate…again. What was the life of a hero worth to the powers of fate?

Was he really a hero if he couldn't save Cloud…?

The faint, sudden hope that had shot through his heart only seconds ago dimmed, sputtered, and perished. First Tsurugi still lay on the ground out at the harbor…and Vincent wouldn't have left Cloud if there was any possibility of saving him…even as much as he'd distrusted Cloud. He knew the truth now…he knew Cloud's innocence and had nearly given his life before to protect him.

If Cloud was still alive…Vincent wouldn't be here.

He managed to make his way over to his father's quickly dying body and used the cure materia he had on…first to keep himself alive, and then to stop Vincent's bleeding as much as he could. "Vincent…Vincent…are you still with me…?"

Vincent's eyelids fluttered slightly at his voice. "Not…dead yet," he managed to whisper.

Sephiroth swallowed hard. "Vincent…did you find Cloud? The good one? Is he alright?!"

Vincent exhaled. He'd lost a lot of blood…it was hard for him to speak, and even as he formed the words on his lips…no sound came out.

"Vincent—!" But it was no use. He wasn't getting anything out of him. But Vincent's face looked grave…Sephiroth hoped it was only because he was near death.

…_How are we going to get out of here?!_

Sephiroth wasn't strong enough to fly them out of there now, and once…_if_…Genesis caught up with Cloud and took Kadaj away…he'd be back for their lives. They were sitting there, waiting for death. There had to be some way….

And yet…still he returned to Sephiroth's thoughts. Even if it was no time to think of him….

_Cloud…where are you?!_

_

* * *

_He laid out on a large stone in the center of an open plain. He hadn't seen civilization in hours.

Not wanting to attract the attention of any more monsters, he'd laid out in the sun, staring up at the sky. What was he looking for? A bird…an airship? For wings?

_No…just one wing._

But nothing passed by overhead. Nothing…until a black chopper came into view. It had ShinRa corporation's logo painted on the side. He thought of waving to them…but then, if this world was one in which he was wanted and evil, that might not be a good thing. He had no idea what kind of place he was in now.

And he was feeling a bit too exhausted to deal with it or try to find out.

The whole time he'd been in these other worlds, he'd been wishing for home…and then he would think of Sephiroth, and he would feel alright again. He would be perfectly alright if only he could stay with Sephiroth….

But now…Sephiroth was gone.

He wondered if he was home now…if maybe he had just had a dream. If that was so…he wished he could go back to the dream. He wanted to stay with Sephiroth, even if that meant saving the world again, or going through some terrible pain again. He wanted to return to the man he loved.

"Oiiii! Yo, Chocobooooooooo-heeeeeaaaaaad!" a familiar voice called from the helicopter.

"…Reno…" he whispered, not bothering to get up from his perch…but he did sit up and wave a little. Unless Sephiroth was with them….

…Gods, he was obsessed.

The chopper touched down and Reno ran to him, followed by Rude and Rufus. "Damn, Reno!" Rufus said incredulously. "How did you spot him from such a distance?"

"Aw, c'mon, sir! You tellin' me you can't see that bright yellow spike a mile away?" He grinned. "Yo, Cloud! You alright? You look like hell…."

Cloud nodded a little. "It's…kind of hard to fight monsters bare-handed," he replied softly…absent-mindedly. "I lost First Tsurugi…at the convergence…." He looked back in the direction he'd come from. So far…. "But then…nevermind. You probably have no idea what I'm talking about…."

"The other universe, right?" At hearing Reno say that, Cloud's face shot up and lit up in surprise. "Yeah, yeah. We heard. Met up with goody-goody Sephiroth and Zack and Aeris, too. Welcome back, by the way!"

Cloud gaped at them. "S…Sephiroth is here?" That was the only part of that conversation that he could still remember clearly.

Reno nodded. "Yeah! But he went off lookin' for you, yo, and we've been lookin' for Genesis. If he had a cell phone, I'd just ring him up for ya, but—"

"He does!"

"Ehh??"

"It's…it's my phone! It's my number! Call my number!"

Reno looked at him like he was crazy, but flipped open his little black phone and rang him up. Cloud's phone started to play a nine-tone fanfare in his pocket. "Yo, Cloud…it's just you."

"No…just wait for it!" Cloud insisted, hope growing inside of him. _Sephiroth…pick up! Pick up!!_

_

* * *

_Sephiroth picked up. Reno meant helicopter…he hoped. That would help immensely right now.

"Whoa…no way! Hey, is this Sephiroth?" Reno asked on the other side, hearing Sephiroth pick up.

"…Yes. Listen, I'm in trouble…Vincent's about to die, Genesis survived…he's nearby…I need a lift. I'm too weak to fly us out. Gods, and Cloud…Cloud…he killed Cloud…!" Sephiroth moaned. "Vincent tried to save him…but here's his sword…and Genesis—"

"Ohhh, so that's where it went. Hey, Cloud! He found your sword!"

Sephiroth stopped dead, blinking. "…What?"

"Thanks for telling us. Hey, where are you? We'll come pick you up. Feels weird to be sayin' that to the destroyer of worlds, yo?"

"Cloud…" Sephiroth breathed, exasperated, "…Cloud is…there? _Alive?_"

"Yeah! You wanna talk to him?"

Sephiroth opened his mouth for an immediate yes, but then stopped. Vincent was fading fast….

"…You'd better get down here," he said at length, though he wanted more than anything to hear Cloud's voice. "I…I want to see him face to face. And give his sword back to him personally."

Reno seemed to nod, though that was inaudible. "He says he doesn't wanna talk to ya, Chocobo-head."

"I—I never said that!! Reno—!!" Sephiroth hissed in protest. That was the _last_ thing he wanted Cloud to think!

"Hey, hey! It's all good! We'll be right there, yo! Sit tight, don't get caught!"

There was silence on the other line. Sephiroth hung up and looked out to the sea.

Cloud was alive…and rushing towards his arms at this moment.

He hoped it would be enough for Vincent to live.

* * *

It had taken a lot of effort, but Genesis was far, far off course by now. Cloud had led him quite astray with his tactics…and they had worked, it seemed. Not that he'd ever tell you what they were—that was a secret.

He looked down at his prize and cradled him sweetly in the darkness. "You're mine now…" he mused. "I'll wake you and bring you back into this world…my Sephiroth. Oh…why couldn't you have been part of _my_ world…? We could have made such wonders together…why did you call me crazy? Why did you look at me with hate…? You know…how much I loved you….

"But that will change now."

He stroked Kadaj's hair lovingly, pulling it gently from his face, casting his dark magic over him, coaxing the spirit out. "Come on…come on…."

And slowly, the form began to change. The hair grew longer, the face older and more pronounced, the eyes darker and more sinister. Cloud's face lit up as he witnessed the rebirth…the moment he'd been waiting for had come! Oh, happy aberration that granted his wishes and wrapped him in ecstasy!

He had no idea what this new one would be like. Maybe he would still hate him…but Cloud wanted to take that chance. The off chance that he could possibly hold his hero in his arms like he once did…before he'd abandoned him. Because the general really had abandoned him…and betrayed him. And for what? A few lost, inferior souls. But this one wouldn't do that. If anything, this one would abandon him…but for a higher purpose. And that would be alright…because he could respect that. And he could wait. He could wait forever, if only there was some chance of his affection and approval falling on him once more.

Those silver-lashed, sunken eyes opened steadily, lifting towards his face….

"Welcome back…Sephiroth."

* * *

_**countermelody**__ 1) a second melody that overlaps and intertwines with the first, portraying a different mood, a glimpse of another place, or a secret obscured. There may be more than one countermelody at any time…._

**: End Chapter XII :**

Ending Notes: Hahaha…longer chapter this time. I must, must, MUST thank Queen of Light 17 for the comment she made about Vincent actually living. I was planning on killing him off for the sake of…y'know, simplicity. Having two Vincents running around isn't exactly easy to describe in words, at least…especially since you can't just say evil-Vincent good-Vincent because…well, they're both good, ehehe. But something about what she said about Vincent meets Vincent finally got me off of my creative block. Whoops, spoilers, Vincent lives? Haha! Thank you!


	13. Harmony

**Recommended Listening:** Kamui Gackt, one of his more slow and romantic songs…I like "Kono Daremo Inai Heya De" personally. (DUDE, that was FREAKY! As I was writing this, Kono Daremo Inai Heya De just decided to pop up in the shuffle of my playlist…weird. I think it's fate. I'm superstitious about stuff like that, you know.)

**Disclaimer**: Aw, man! I forgot to add my April Fool's joke into the last chapter. I was going to tell you I was killing all the characters or something. Too bad…I missed it again. I always miss April Fool's…. One time, someone told me they hoped I'd backed up all my files, because...my computer had turned off…and wasn't coming back on…_ever._ I was…_upset_, to say the least. That one was cruel. I really believed them….

Here's to another disgustingly long chapter! Well...maybe not _as_ long as the last one, but...I actually had to split this one into two…so you'll get sixteen chapters instead of just fifteen…which is better in the musical sense, because most musical phrases are in pairs, each either 4 or 8 measures long…16 measures sounds very complete. Now without further ado, prepare covered in sap—that is, it will be very sappy, very sappy indeed, haha! Here we go!

* * *

_Alice and the reached out and, at long last, captured the elusive White Rabbit in her arms. Though the Black Queen watched from afar, she saw her love and seemed to understand. And she, too, longed for it…and began to feel that perhaps there were more important things than those she'd been chasing after so long. Alice and the White Rabbit looked to the world of reality and faced it boldly. They had wandered it once before…but now they would do so hand in hand. They were one._

**Chapter XIII : Harmony**

Cloud didn't spare a moment when he caught sight of the man he loved. When the helicopter swept close enough overhead, he just leapt off.

That was one of the great things about being a level ninety-nine hero. You could pull crazy stunts like that and still land on your feet…and then run the length all the way to his arms faster than any chopper could carry you. And he would jump up to catch you and pull you close, and hold you tightly…as though he would never release you again.

Sephiroth winced as Cloud gripped his body a bit too strongly—he was trying to keep his cure magic focused on Vincent, after all, and hadn't had the chance to take care of some of his injuries—but didn't complain. He almost enjoyed the pain, after feeling nothing at all for so, so long….

"Cloud…" he whispered, barely audible over the roar of the propellers. He pressed his fingertips into the boy's surprisingly soft hair, his own being strewn about them like a victorious flag in the aftermath of the storm. All they had were moments like these…interludes between the darkness when they could hold close and forget that nightfall was coming. And what were days but interludes between nights…or nights but interludes between days? He could face the nights, as long as his days were filled with his golden blonde sun.

Cloud backed up enough that he could look up into his eyes. He looked uncertain for only a moment...before his face slowly formed a warm, firm smile. Sephiroth had…never seen him smile like that, had he? He couldn't remember…he thought for certain he'd remember something so…infinitely beautiful.

"Uh…." Cloud began, pulling his arm away to scratch his head, feeling a little awkward now that he'd done something so…well, lovesick, frankly. His smile turned ever so slightly goofy. Softly, he managed to blurt out shruggingly… "…Howdy!"

Sephiroth choked back his laugh…rather unsuccessfully. His companion failed to see what was so funny. "What?" Cloud demanded, self-conscious now. "S…stop that! Don't…d-don't laugh…." His ears turned pink and he stepped away. And then he caught sight of Vincent, and he no longer felt so good.

The Helicopter landed on the widest strip it could find, which was difficult…but Reno was a professional, so it was alright. "Come on," Sephiroth said, putting a hand on Cloud's shoulder, motioning towards it. "We need to get him out of here."

Cloud nodded, swallowing hard at the disfigured form of the man who'd distrusted him for so long…but who had given up this much to protect him at the last moment. There was dried blood beneath him, and scarring from where the materia had been overused. He knelt down to pick him up…frankly, having just noticed the state of Sephiroth's own body, wondering if he could even manage it. They would take care of his wounds when they got the both of them back to safety.

The scene of Sephiroth's and Genesis's battle faded away beneath them as they fled up into the sky.

* * *

"Cloud! Cloud, you're alive! You're alive!!"

Cloud was very thankful he hadn't been carrying Vincent when Zack saw him. It might have been hazardous to his health to be pummeled into the ground like that. He was reminded distinctly of a Labrador retriever welcoming its master after a long time away…for some reason. He had no idea why.

And suddenly, as Aerith, too, ran out to meet them and Sephiroth stepped out of the helicopter…he realized that everything he'd lost…all the hurt and pain he'd suffered…it had all been wiped away, what he'd lost was found, what he'd been missing…was restored.

He was home…and not just in his own dimension. He was really home. It seemed too good to be true, or at least too good to last. And yet…here it was. He could have cried.

…Speaking of crying.

"Cloud!! What's wrong?" Aerith gasped, kneeling down to him as he tried to sit up, rebounding from Zack's onslaught. He just shook his head. He could never explain…the wonder he felt right then.

"Where is he?" Tifa demanded as she came out to see them as well. "Where is he? I'm gonna kill—" She stopped on seeing him…seeing him in tears.

And suddenly, she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"…Gods damnit," she grumbled, marching right over to him. She shot Sephiroth a glare as she helped him up—of course, the general only blinked in surprise, taken aback, having no idea that she meant to blame him entirely for Cloud's state—and pulled him inside the bar. They had only just gotten back themselves, but they hadn't gotten as far and had arrived sooner. She had everything they'd asked for laid out—especially her cure materia. But Sephiroth wasn't getting any of it. And she wasn't going to give Cloud any, either—he didn't deserve it, that lout!—but…damn. A woman's emotions were so flimsy.

Sephiroth watched as Reno and Rude carried Vincent awkwardly inside…and then, the Vincent of Cloud's world came out just as they were doing so. He started to head towards Sephiroth, but then stopped suddenly as they passed, his face freezing in…shock. His head followed their path until they curved around the wall and upstairs to give him a bed. He didn't move an inch.

With a swallow, Sephiroth came to his side. "Are you alright?" The healthy, uninjured Vincent didn't answer at first, just staring after them. "He's…ah…."

"…From the other world."

Sephiroth nodded. "We…found Genesis."

Vincent's head snapped up, still confused as to what to make of it, but after a few seconds, he seemed to understand. Understand the gravity of that statement…and what affect that body had on its meaning. That was him. That was him after meeting with this unbelievable force. By comparison, Sephiroth—while very battered, and on the last legs of his hit points as it was—seemed like he was in top condition.

"…I see."

Vincent cleared his throat a little, still unsure how to approach Sephiroth. The others had gone in after Cloud…their hero. And here was the One-Winged Angel next to him….

"Cloud…makes a better hero than I do," Sephiroth observed quite suddenly.

Vincent looked up at him. "…What makes you say that?"

"…He's…just…." Sephiroth shook his head, unsure of how he should describe it. Cloud was so many things…so many wonderful things. "He's…pure. And humble…. Even after saving the world, count…how many times, now? He's still just a delivery boy who cries when he's happy and lives on the second floor of the bar his childhood friend runs…who enjoys riding his bike and getting a new sword for his birthday…and takes flying leaps off of moving helicopters only to say something ridiculous like, 'Howdy.'"

"Oh, did he?" Vincent interrupted. He scoffed lightly and shook his head. "You should have heard what he said to the team when we were heading off to fight you in the final battle."

"What?" He blinked. "What did he say?"

"…'Let's mosey,' unquote."

Sephiroth smiled…a rare occurrence for him, but…. "You see? That's…exactly what I mean. He'll never be like me…and that…well, frankly that's a good thing. He'll always say funny things and he'll always be content with the little, simple things. Even all the years of war never hardened his heart. He'll always hold onto his humanity…to his heart, and his emotions. He'll…never be…."

"A monster like you?"

Sephiroth turned to him, surprised that he finished that sentence. Vincent just shook his head.

"You should know…the war _did_ harden Cloud's heart," he mentioned. "He was so numb and empty by the time he disappeared into your world that I worried he would take his own life. He was essentially already dead, anyway. I'd hardly say he was content.

"But…you will never know that side of him. Because as long as you stay here with him…at least it seems to me…no, he will never be that lifeless wraith again. He will never be a monster." He turned to face Sephiroth directly, to speak straight to his heart. "And even if you try to pound logic into his head or destroy his entire world or even leave him alone again…you will never be a monster in his eyes."

Sephiroth was dumbfounded for a moment. "H…How do you know that?"

Vincent might have laughed…if he was the type to laugh. "Well it's tried, tested, and true, isn't it?"

Sephiroth found he couldn't argue with that. It was true…he _had_ done all those things to Cloud, even if it hadn't been…_him,_ specifically. And yet he'd smiled at him like that….

Vincent looked back to Seventh Heaven. "I think…I'll go to my…_other_…and see if I can do anything to help."

Sephiroth nodded and clipped off with his inherent military undertones, "Understood."

"There it is."

"Hm?"

"Your 'mosey.'"

Vincent went into the bar. And as Sephiroth stood back, he smiled slightly. _Vincent…._

"Oi, Seph!" Zack called from inside. "Come on, get in here! You're in the party, too! We gotta have a meeting!"

Sephiroth took a deep breath and nodded. This was how it should have been all along.

He was home.

* * *

Sephiroth was very, very confused. Confused that he was alive in the first place…but what confused him even more was….

_That look in his eyes…. What…?_

"Cloud…?" he asked warily, narrowing his eyes, but raising his eyebrows. What was he doing here? And where was his sweet fear? Where was that look of heroic determination? Why did he look so excited? Look so…so…

_Deliciously_ _insane!_

Cloud's face brightened and twisted even more at the acknowledgement. Very queer. "Sephiroth!! I knew it was you…the one I'd been searching for all this time! Oh…I'm…getting ahead of myself." He collected his thoughts and started again. "Sephiroth…do you believe in me now? In my cause? Do you know now why I did everything I did? Why I wanted so badly to follow Mother and take her there—to the Promised Land—!"

"Promised Land? Mother?" Sephiroth blinked profusely. Was this…coming out of Cloud's mouth? "Since when do you…since when _did_ you…?" He shook his head. "Weren't you going to kill me…?"

"Oh…I guess you need…more of an explanation," Cloud realized.

"…A little." Sephiroth took the opportunity to take in his surroundings. Somewhere in a dark, natural cave…it was strangely warm. Cloud loomed over him, his face only a few feet overhead. He dared come so close…? What was wrong with him? Had he finally broken under the pressure on him and lost his ability for proper mental functioning?

_Ha…he must have gone crazy,_ Sephiroth figured. _What happy irony…._

"Well…I'm not sure how to…" Cloud floundered, trying to figure out how to say it. It was very, very complicated, and the situation delicate…how to put it in words? It was very important to get it right…. "There are two worlds," he settled on. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, but didn't interject yet. "Ah…that is, two alternate worlds that are…the same, but…different…and something about quantum physics…."

"…Alternate universes," Sephiroth identified for him.

"Yes!" Cloud brightened, but pasted back on his serious face. "Well, there are two of them—"

"There are a great deal more than that, according to quantum physics…" Sephiroth corrected him.

"Well, maybe!" the blonde boy huffed. "But only these two are important!" His small-town upbringing, not to mention his mental state, was doing a terrible disservice to his apparent intelligence. "There's your reality, and then there's mine. In your world, you tried to bring Mother to the Promised Land while I tried to stop you…in my world, it was the other way around."

Sephiroth raised both eyebrows this time. "That's…a rather fantastic claim," he noted cautiously…skeptically, not by any means using that word to mean anything more than its namesake—fantasy.

Cloud looked downtrodden suddenly. "Oh, _please_ believe me!" he begged. "I spent my whole _life_ trying to make you understand the truth…about Mother…about the rest of the world…but you wouldn't listen! You wouldn't believe me…you treated me like a monster, like an aberration, like an enemy! You _killed_ me, you hated me so much. I could never understand…and you couldn't understand, either. A big misunderstanding…that's what it was. But now that you know the truth, here, where you know your own destiny…!" He brightened considerably, becoming more and more excited as he spoke. "I could…I could be with you! I could fight with you! I would serve under you again…together, we could fulfill that dream that we once dreamt under different skies! And now, under the same sky…."

Behind his back, a great flurry of black feathers unfurled that Sephiroth had not seen before. The one-winged angel gaped upwards, realizing what the extra appendage entailed—it made all these wild claims, these strange tales…_plausible._ It might have nearly _proved_ them, but…. That was impossible! Everything he was saying, it was impossible--! Entirely…!

"Our sky…" Cloud whispered in glassy bliss. "…Let's fly through our sky as one…together! Oh, please, Sephiroth? Won't you believe me?"

Sephiroth's gaze snapped back to Cloud's eyes, staring suspiciously, intensely, as though his look alone would beat the truth out of the "hero's" face. The truth! No…he couldn't just take Cloud's word for it. Mankind could call him insane all they liked…but he was _not_ naïve.

"It's easy to tell stories, _Kuraodo._" Sephiroth gently sneered up at him. "If you want to suspend my disbelief, then show me. First show me proof of this."

Cloud wilted, but only slightly. "If you'll give me the chance to prove it, I will!" He stood up, donning that determined face that Sephiroth recognized. It had become a face that, while perhaps he shouldn't have…he'd grown somewhat fond of. It was familiar, and sent a slight shiver down his spine. Perhaps it was because whenever Cloud showed him that face, it was because he was about to hand him his ass. Invigorating! Though it was more fun to torment Cloud and watch him stumble all over his nerves, it was always energizing to get a rise out of him…to give him something that he would kill for.

The One-Winged Angel nodded and rose slowly to his feet as well, graceful and powerful even as he stood from lying flat on his back. It sent a shiver down _Cloud's_ spine. "Then I will," he decided, tugging his gloves more tightly onto his hands. "But if you fail, I will put an end to this charade." The thought that Cloud was dragging him into a trap did cross his mind, but he immediately dismissed it. Cloud was neither smart enough nor treacherous enough…and no trap he could lay could give him much more of an advantage than his pure skill with a blade. A trap was unnecessary, especially considering he could have ended it long before, while he'd had Sephiroth on the ground, cornered and ambushed.

Cloud nodded at his ultimatum and turned towards the mouth of the cave. "I know where we can find them. Me and you…they'll be together, no doubt."

Sephiroth wasn't entirely sure he understood, but something else struck him as much more strange. Cloud…turned his back to him. He'd left it wide open for…well, for anything, really. He could skewer him like he'd skewered that girl, and it would be over. In fact, he very seriously entertained the idea as he followed Cloud out. He took the hilt of Masamune on his back, fully prepared to deal the blow that would end this ridiculous farce once and for all…to put his most hated nemesis out of the picture for good.

But something stayed his hand.

Perhaps he just wasn't feeling up to the task of open battle, what with his head still fuzzy from resurrection. Perhaps it was just good honorable practice, or pride…but, no. He didn't give a damn about that. Perhaps it was because he was curious to see where Cloud would take him, what he would show him, even if he knew his words weren't very likely at all.

Or perhaps it was for the simplest reason at all.

Perhaps some part of him wished dearly for those words to be true.

He laughed softly, malevolently, to himself, assuming the "fuzzy head" option. Like he cared.

* * *

The meeting wasn't making much progress, and Cloud was exhausted from inter-universal travel and trying to fight bare-handed in rapid succession with fighting Sephiroth, himself, and the almighty Genesis. Tifa could do it with her bare fists fine…but he wasn't so good at it. Especially not after the ginormous boss battle of death. So, he asked to be excused to go see Vincent—the one that was no longer in one piece. Nobody blamed him…nobody stopped him.

Aerith was working on healing him—she was the best healer of them…how they'd missed having a true white mage!—but her magic was starting to run down as well. She jumped at the opportunity to leave them alone. "Cloud!" She hopped up. "Would you mind looking after him while I run out for some ethers?"

Cloud blinked. "Uh…yeah. Sure. If…that's okay with him," he added, remembering the vehemence with which this Vincent had rejected him before. He might be bitter now that half his body was gone…and it was mostly his fault….

"It's fine," he growled softly…weakly…from down on the bed. Cloud gave a start; he hadn't realized Vincent was conscious. "…Wanted…to talk to you, anyway…."

Aerith nodded to him and skipped out. Cloud took a little paleness in the face. He just couldn't understand how Aerith could be skipping at a time like this. She was always just like sunshine on a Cloudy day….

He looked back at Vincent to see him staring up at the ceiling…and found himself quite lost for words. While he was trying to think, he came over and sat in the seat where Aerith had been, but Vincent still didn't look at him. Working up his courage, he decided on something simple and considerate. He swallowed hard. "H-how are you feeling…?"

Vincent grunted slightly. "For a dismembered guy…? I'm alright…. Aerith is very…skilled."

Cloud nodded with a single hollow laugh. "That's…one way to put it. You don't look too bad. Er…for your injuries. She's…practically a saint...."

"Relax, Cloud."

Cloud looked up, realizing with that comment that he was very stiff and wringing his hands. He swallowed again and leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms instead and taking a few deep breaths.

"…It's pretty much…what I deserve."

Cloud nearly choked on hearing that. "D-deserve?! But…no one deserves this…!"

"I treated you like you did…deserve it," he refuted him. "It's alright. It seems I'm constantly…repenting for something. In any case…don't give me any 'it's my fault' crap on your part. You're a hero here…and you've suffered…just as much as Sephiroth, if not more…. I didn't believe you…though I had good reason not to…. I still…blinded myself.

"So…I don't want you…living with my guilt," he explained. "It'll be alright anyway…ShinRa promised to make me new limbs. Different color…silver…to tell us apart. Still…it'll be confusing to talk about us."

At first, Cloud didn't understand what he was talking about, not catching the subject shift, but… "Oh…you mean the other Vincent. The two of you…yeah. That…might be a little confusing."

"I talked to him, you know…."

"Oh…really? How…how did that go?"

"…It was a little…disheartening."

"Huh…? Wh…why?"

Vincent made a shrugging motion with his face, as he couldn't very well do it with his body. "He seemed…a _bit_ more relaxed about Sephiroth than I was about you. Made me want to shoot myself."

"N-no! Don't…_say_ that…I-I'm fine, really…!"

"I was just using that as a figure of speech, Cloud…relax."

"I-I know that!! But…!"

"We exchanged stories," Vincent cut him off. "I think he was a little more comfortable with Sephiroth…because he saw Aerith and Zack first. I would have probably done the same if you had shown up with Tifa…. It's a little easier to believe your story if you have the trust of the woman you…allegedly murdered…."

"A-ah…I…I see," Cloud replied, nodding in understanding. "So…you aren't…do you trust me now…?"

Vincent lifted his eyes to his forehead. "No…I put my life on the line to save yours, but I don't trust you. I'm in this alternate world…and I still don't believe you. You've saved _my_ life now…and I still hate you."

A small smile came up on Cloud's lips. "…Thanks, Vincent."

"Hrm." Vincent didn't really make a reply to that…a sound was enough to confirm Cloud had taken that the right way. He looked up into the boy's blue eyes. "…But…Cloud. Would you…promise me something?"

"H-huh? Ah…anything."

Vincent closed his eyes. "…I want…Sephiroth…to find happiness." Cloud watched him…watched the shaky rise and fall of his chest, not quite knowing what to expect. He hoped it wasn't a last request he was making…. "…Please…if you can support him even a little…."

Cloud's eyes widened slightly…but he understood…perhaps better than anyone. "Of course…." He nodded. "I don't even _have_ to promise that. I've…already promised myself."

"Oh…?" Vincent commented, something akin to a smile gracing his pale face. It wasn't really a smile so much as a not-frown, but…it was something. "Good…that's good…." His voice trailed off, but he opened his eyes again and looked to the door. He breathed for a few seconds, totally calm now…and then addressed the one in the doorway. "…You can come in, you know…."

Cloud looked back and jumped to see Sephiroth standing there. His face flushed up scarlet. "H-how long have you been standing there…?!" _If Sephiroth knew…that I said that…!!_

"Not long. I didn't hear anything," he assured Cloud, coming in. He understood by the color of his cheeks what the fuss was about. Amusing how Cloud could blush like a little schoolgirl…. He came to Vincent's side, leaning down to him. "…Is it tolerable?"

"…Just barely," Vincent replied. "There's no more pain…."

"Ah…I see. That's good," Sephiroth said, nodding gently. "I take it…you two have reconciled…?" He looked between the two of them.

"Sephiroth."

He looked down to his father. Vincent reached up to him with the arm that was still attached to his body and took hold of Sephiroth's sleeve. "…Vincent?"

"Get out of here."

Sephiroth blinked at him and glanced up at Cloud for some kind of hint as to what Vincent was saying, but…Cloud looked just as surprised.

"…Both of you. You don't need all this…not now. You can deal with it _if_ you find a way to defeat Genesis…and succeed. But until then…you don't know how much time you have." He sighed. "Leave me and everything else back here…the confusion, the drama…you don't have time for that. You've already decided what it is you want…. Don't waste your time worrying about what the rest of your party thinks. We have…bigger problems."

Sephiroth nodded slowly. "…You're right. We must find a way to stop him. That's what I decided when I left to look for Cloud…finding Genesis is more important than proving my innocence."

"…Well, yes," Vincent conceded, "…that _is _important, but…I meant…." He trailed off.

Sephiroth gave him a questioning look. "…What did you mean…?"

Vincent sighed again, mostly from fatigue, but also from a deep pain…and a deep calm as well. It was bittersweet…. "…I mean…you don't know how much time you have _together._"

Sephiroth looked up at Cloud, who did the same—before lowering his eyes again from nerves, looking back down at Vincent. The general gazed on him for a good long minute, attempting to grasp what Vincent meant, though he knew well. He just…well, he hadn't wanted to think about it…so he'd forced the thought not to occur to him. In the back of his mind rested a fear that the dream would suddenly end, and that it would probably happen by Genesis's hand…just as Genesis had bluffed about doing before. But…since Cloud had come back to him….

"Even if you manage to defeat Genesis…it's possible that in order to do it…you'll have to set the alternate worlds back the way they were," Vincent pointed out. The two of them said nothing for a moment…that was the last thing they wanted, even if Genesis had to be stopped.

"…We'll concern ourselves with that if it comes up," Sephiroth said finally.

"It's just a possibility…nothing more." Vincent looked over to Cloud, who had buried his eyes in the stub of Vincent's other arm so he didn't have to look at either of their faces. "I just…want to make sure you're prepared for anything. And…make sure you're not wasting it." His face softened. "…You've found something precious."

The two nodded down to him, respecting his sound advice. He turned his face to the side, closing his eyes once more. "Now that that's settled…go away. I'm exhausted…."

Cloud's mouth threatened to laugh at the sudden change his Vincent's tone of voice, but he tried to keep stoic as he stood. "…Alright." With a last glance back at Vincent, he left the room, followed by his idol. Now that he and Vincent were on good terms, his heart was light again.

Even if Tifa still wanted his head. He could live with that. He knew it was all out of love. And that was all he wanted…though perhaps not particularly from Tifa.

He glanced back at Sephiroth and smiled.

He would cherish it.

* * *

Cloud pointed excitedly down from their perch on the rooftops, hushing his voice. "See? See? There! There they are!"

Sephiroth's eyes bulged, his jaw falling a few hair's breadths at the sight of them. Their other selves came walking out of Seventh Heaven, one after the other…first Cloud—yes, that expression was one he recognized…the goody-good face—and then…himself?!

"That video tape…" the more innocent of the two One-Winged Angels commented, "…what did you take from it?"

The sane Cloud shrugged. "Just what the others did, I guess. We know Genesis is powerful enough to hand us our asses and we know your world and my world aren't the first he's tried to destroy. And we know he won't be satisfied with one world gone…and he's pretty much…impossible to beat." He sighed dejectedly. "But…Rufus…the video-tape-Rufus…he said something about the Lifestream being able to help, or tapping into the alternate worlds. He was…really vague, though," he admitted sadly.

"I'm certain he didn't know much in the way of specifics…otherwise he would have figured out how to defeat Genesis and wouldn't be on the brink of death," Sephiroth noted. "But it makes sense…about the Lifestream…if Genesis _did_ absorb it into his body in his world, that would explain how he can reattach his severed head, et cetera. It makes sense that the Lifestream _here_ would be able to counteract that somehow."

"Right…so we need to talk to Aeris…I mean, the one that's…gone. She has power over the Lifestream now."

Sephiroth nodded. "And…there's something else."

"…What is it?"

"In theory, Genesis is all-powerful," he mused. "Correct? So in theory, he could destroy this world at this very moment and we could do nothing to stop him."

Cloud winced a little. "That…sounds about right."

"That's good."

Cloud stared at him. What the hell was _good_ about it?! "…Uh…."

"It means," Sephiroth asserted, turning around to face him, "that there must be a reason he hasn't done it yet. Either he's incapable of it right now and we were wrong—he needs something else to fully destroy this world—or he sees us as a threat, which is all the more advantageous…or he's looking for something in this world that wasn't in his own. Why else would he bother with Kadaj and the other you? Why would he bother with us if he didn't have to worry about us…if he was really as all-powerful as we were led to believe?"

"O-oh…I guess…you're right," Cloud agreed. "But then…does that mean he can get more powerful than he already _is?!_" It seemed unbelievable….

"…Perhaps. But it also means we have a chance to stop him."

Above where they sat stalking and eavesdropping, the other pair looked to one another. The psychotic Sephiroth was entirely shocked to be staring at himself down below…to realize that this Cloud who had claimed to be from another world—and of Jenova, no less—had been telling the truth this whole time! As insane as it sounded, it was the whole goddamn truth! There was nothing else that could explain this…and they were even talking about it, as well. But there was one other thing….

"…What are they saying about Genesis?" he asked Cloud.

Cloud's sparkling evil eyes suddenly smothered out and cast themselves downward. "…He's…well, he was the one who returned me to life…and the one who's trying to destroy both worlds…yours and mine. I wouldn't mind so much…it's just…it's like they said, it seems. I saw it myself. He's absorbed the Lifestream…and become invincible. And he doesn't intend to allow either of us to be with Mother…."

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed. "Though our goals are similar, then…it seems he isn't our ally."

"No…he's not. Especially not after I stole Kadaj's body from him to bring you back…."

"…You what…?"

"It…it was the only way I could think of! And the easiest…." Cloud explained. "If…you don't like that, I'll try to figure out something more permanent…."

Sephiroth watched him for a moment. Was it…possible? Cloud gave him a quizzical look, as though he thought he'd done something wrong, but wasn't certain what it was. "Cloud…."

"Y-yes?"

"…Do you really intend to serve me?" he asked. "Will you follow me to the ends of the Planet and beyond?"

Cloud's eyes widened a little with his fervor. He couldn't nod fast enough. "Yes! Oh, yes! I'll follow you anywhere!! Just like when I was a cadet…and even more, because I love you!"

Sephiroth jumped a little, startled by his _psychotic_ cadet's confession. Below, Sephiroth jumped quite a bit, startled by his dear _heroic_ Cloud's sudden outbursts.

"Let's…lets get out of here! Right now!"

"I…beg your pardon?" the sane general asked.

"You and me!" Cloud clarified, with an excitement like a child who had just proposed running away from home and travelling to distant exotic lands filled with pirates and Indians. "The two of us…they can handle anything that comes on their own. And they can always call us. We're the ones who can really stand up to Genesis if he comes, and he's more interested in us than in them. So let's go!" He suddenly grabbed hold of one of Sephiroth's hands. "We can travel in search of him, and in search of answers…obviously, you're not going to find them all here in Edge. And…besides that…there are…certain places you should see. Well…I _want_ you to see them…." His voice shrunk drastically as he fumbled for the right words. He'd become awkward again….

Sephiroth listened patiently and…slowly began to understand what he was getting at…especially when he became embarrassed. It wasn't difficult to guess…but the words. His breath caught. "You and I…just the two of us?"

Cloud nodded. He bit his lower lip, hesitating…but Sephiroth didn't fill the gap…just waited. Cloud looked up and tried to speak several times, false starting again and again…and then finally came out with, "I…It's just what Vincent said…he was right. I don't know how long we have, and…I want to be with you as much as I can. I want to show you all the things that I never got to share with you because…well, because of what happened. I want to be with you s—"

"To be with me?" Sephiroth cut him off, repeating his words. And hit the point of all this rambling straight home.

Cloud's face blossomed into a rose-colored shade and…he nodded somewhat. Not that he hadn't made that clear when he'd kissed Sephiroth…but now that it was out in the open and he'd actually…indirectly…asked Sephiroth—Sephiroth!—to…well…_date_ him….

His thoughts were cut short. It was Sephiroth's turn to be sporadic and act on a whim.

He pulled Cloud close to him and fit their lips as one.

* * *

Vincent—the one that could still walk—came down in the morning earlier than all of the others. He preferred it that way…waking up to a pleasant silence. Better than Yuffie bursting into his room squealing something about sunshine and pancakes. Much better.

All things considered, he thought the group had taken the appearance of Sephiroth, Zack, Aerith, and the other him very well. If not for Aerith, things might have been different…but her mere presence seemed to soothe them all far more than any amount of hatred could rile them. Even Tifa was doing rather well. She hadn't murdered Cloud yet.

He was about to go out to search for what he could about Genesis when he noticed a small sticky note on one of the tables in the bar. It seemed odd…despite the kind of company Tifa kept here, she always kept the place relatively clutter free. He came over and picked it up, barely able to read the horrible scrawl.

_Gone G-fishing  
Be back someday  
—C_

"_Gone fishing," he says,_ Vincent marveled. Cloud had a remarkable way of describing things. And yet….

"Alright, Cloud. Take a holiday. See you…_someday._" He smiled.

"You've earned it."

* * *

_**harmony**__ 1) a musical line that parallels the melody, but adds foundation and beauty and strength. Unlike the countermelody, the harmony is one with the melody and follows it wherever it goes._

**: End Chapter XIII :**

Ending Notes: Alright, alright…I know I promised to give you smut, but…like I said, I had to split this chapter up. This is a bit lighter in mood…and the next chapter will be too, but I'm not done with the trippy plot twists yet. It's not over 'til the fat lady sings.


	14. Ballad

**Recommended Listening:** "A Bit of Happiness" from the .hack//sign soundtrack, or "Grandpa's Violin" from the .hack//LIMINALITY soundtrack. Or your own personal favorite sweet, warm, fuzzy, hallmark-channel-worthy piano arrangement. …Or Malice Mizer's "Illuminati," Justin Timberlake's "Sexy Back"… maybe a little "Paralyzer"… you get the picture. Different songs for different parts, obviously…hahaha! And then…Adagio for Strings by Barber….

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any fits of fainting or fangirling-induced seizures. Well, anyway, here's your prize for waiting such a long time. Even though this, being the chapter with all the sex scenes, was the most fun, it was also the most difficult for some reason. I had long bouts of writer's block at multiple places in this chapter…but…oh, well. It's here now. I know this is one of the few reasons anyone reads guy X guy fanfiction, so I'll get on with it. Happy reading!

* * *

_Alice held the white rabbit close and stroked his lovely silver fur. After a long, long race, they were finally together again, and they had made it—right on time—to the beautiful garden of paradise. Even the Black Queen had found her king and had returned to her court, reveling in her triumph at long last. Did Wonderland, or even reality, matter anymore? Now that they were close, now that they were complete in one another, the Queen of Hearts seemed to fade away. Surely their happiness could not be taken away now, even by the Red Queen. It was too strong, too solid. Eternal…and beautiful…. And as they slept in one another's arms, the White Rabbit's pocket watch continued to tick…tick…tick…._

**Chapter XIV : Ballad**

Sephiroth threw him down roughly. They were out in the middle of nowhere now, in the wilderness. Cloud grunted and looked up at his new master, his eyes even wilder than they had been before. Sephiroth glared.

"What do you want from me?"

Cloud didn't answer at first, taken aback by his reactions. Was he being rejected…or taken for a "ride"…?

Unsatisfied with the delayed answer, Sephiroth reached down and yanked him up by his front collar, looking him fiercely in his crazed eyes. "What…do you _want?!_"

Cloud choked for a second before forcing out the first thing that came to mind. Well…not the _first_ thing, persay…a lot of other, more questionable thoughts crossed his mind beforehand…but the first thing that sounded right. "…Wh…whatever _you_ want." When Sephiroth blinked at him, Cloud decided to chance his wit against him. "What do _you_ want?" he threw back at him.

The one-winged angel, too, choked for a moment. He threw his chaotic Cloud back down, decking him one or two hit points…nothing noticeable. Cloud turned his head upward again to try and read his expression, but couldn't make much sense of it. The poor once-general looked intensely confused.

"…I'm yours," Cloud offered softly, cautiously…almost scathingly. He was good at that, of course being a psychopath. And while he had his beautiful, insane Sephiroth reeling…he wanted to take as much advantage as possible. "You can beat me or toss me around or use me for batting practice…or you could…stab into me," he suggested ambiguously, creeping closer, slowly, across the dirt. "You could pound me into the ground and make me scream in pain…scream out your _name_. Beg you to stop, but you won't!! Oh, you won't…. You'll just ravage my flesh more violently…marking me…torturing me…."

Sephiroth turned back to him, visibly breathing faster. The one thing that excited him most—blood and pain. And then…. No—they weren't the same. Not in the least. He was talking about violence…literal violence, and violence alone. Not…_that_. Only…well, that would depend….

Cloud reached up carefully and put a hand on the tight leather bindings across Sephiroth's thighs…bindings he would gladly relieve him of. "…You _know_ what I want. And what do you have to lose…?" he asked. "You don't care. All it is…is just a deeper sin. Tear me apart…open me up and rip into my insides."

Sephiroth's eyes leapt into Cloud's and locked there. The look in Cloud's eyes was serious…and something about it drew him in. It was not the same insane look that he had looked upon in Genesis, or in his own reflection…or even in this Cloud's, when he was saying such deliciously insane things….

He unsheathed Masamune.

Cloud skittered away, backing into a gnarled tree, fearing for a split second that Sephiroth had totally misunderstood him. The silver-haired destroyer of worlds raised the long blade and in a moment, it dropped down about him, slicing the blonde's skin open—but Cloud wasn't going to just watch his death. He had his eyes firmly shut….

After a few moments of realizing he was still alive, however, he opened them and looked down. He was cut in several places, blood oozing from the little slits as they would from paper cuts…but that was a trifle compared to…. He looked down at his clothes. Most of the extraneous buckles lay limp and severed on the earth beneath him…his shirt torn so it hung off his shoulders in tatters, threatening to keel over and die at any moment…and more importantly…the leather belt on his waist was now unusable and practically nonexistent.

He looked up, not certain what to expect…but the look in those fierce Mako-green eyes assured him. Sephiroth took a few strides forward, brandishing the tip of Masamune over Cloud's collarbone, scathing it along to make a slight incision. Cloud shuddered, but not enough to put a wave in that graceful crimson streak over his chest. The edge lifted, and for a moment, Cloud could breathe. For a moment.

When it had passed, Sephiroth descended on him, taking what was left of his shirt in his gloved fist and ripping the shreds off his body. The One-Winged Angel had taken the bait. And Cloud was _in_ for it.

* * *

He was _so_ in for it if he ever went back to face Tifa. But that wasn't going to happen anytime soon, so why worry?

The two of them—he and Sephiroth—had debated for a while about where was far away enough to be out of the reach of the rest of their party, yet pleasant and not_ too_ far, in case there was some kind of emergency. Some place that hadn't been hit too hard by Meteor—Nibelheim, for instance, would have been a horrible place to take the great general. Costa del Sol, on the other hand, was a place neither of them wanted to go to—Cloud, having grown up in Nibelheim, thought it was too hot, and Sephiroth thought it was ridiculous. What a nightmare. Still, they found a quiet little place for the two of them in Kalm, where Sephiroth had scooped him up as though he were his bride and marched right up to check-in at the inn.

"Uh…." The innkeep was a little…taken aback at Sephiroth's appearance, to say the least. And Cloud…in his arms like that?

"We're…uh…cosplayers," Cloud lied. "Fanboys."

"…_Oh_." The man behind the counter raised his eyebrows and shook his head, muttering something about not wanting to know, thoroughly perturbed…and booked them a nice, cozy room. The two of them wasted no time in getting up there and getting comfortable.

"It's…nice," Cloud said, attempting to make conversation. "…Hey…this room looks familiar…."

"It should," Sephiroth pointed out. "This was the room we stayed in when we were in the other Kalm…in my world." Cloud looked confused, so he continued, "Remember? Getting hit by a truck, not being able to pull off your own pants?" He smirked.

Cloud's face lit up in recognition, then lit up in red. "Th—that was your fault!!" he insisted, turning away abruptly. The thought crossed his mind that he wasn't going to have so much trouble taking them off this time around, but he silenced it immediately before he said something that might embarrass him for all time.

"Perhaps," Sephiroth conceded. "But I know you don't blame my discretion. And you're free to do as you please now." He came over to Cloud by the window, not coming close enough to cuddle, but…close enough to be close. "How are you feeling…?"

"Uh…like…I should be guilty for doing this…." Cloud answered honestly. "But…I'm not." He laughed goofily. "I…I don't think I've ever regretted something less in my life…."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "Decisive action. It feels good, doesn't it?"

"Y-yeah…."

They stood for a few minutes in silence, with no sound but the ticking of the second hand on the cuckoo clock on the wall. Even though they weren't saying anything, just the fact that they were together…that they could look at one another and understand each other when words were not enough…that was more value than speech could understand.

However…they were ever aware of that ticking. It kept interrupting their thoughts.

"I think I'm going to kill that thing," Cloud said out of the blue.

Sephiroth nodded, understanding what he was talking about. "If it 'cuckoo's in the middle of the night, I think I just may."

"Yeah…." Then Cloud looked quickly around the room, noticing something…peculiar. Speaking of being woken up in the night…. "Ah—S-Sephiroth…!"

"Hm?"

He formed his next words carefully. "…There's…only one bed."

Sephiroth blinked. "Yes…I can see that."

"S-so…." Cloud choked on his words, unable to breathe correctly. _Does he want…to…?? _His face bloomed up in vivid color.

"…Do you…want me to sleep on the sofa?" Sephiroth asked tentatively.

"N-no…no…not at all! I mean…unless…you want me to take it…I mean…I'm fine with…."

"…Sleeping in the same bed?"

"Y-yeah. That…that would be…fine."

"…Are you certain?"

"Y-yeah. I'm fine."

"…Fine?

"Fine…."

Sephiroth allowed a silence to sink in for a second…except for that damn clock…not replying for a moment…and then decided something needed to be said, brought out in the open. "Cloud…considering our…current _status_," he started—realizing that he was beating around the bush still, but he was getting closer than Cloud was, at any rate—"…is there…a 'step' that you'd like to draw the line at? Do you want to just leave it where it is…or…?"

Cloud looked up at him, confused and unsure, but there was something else on his face. He seemed almost…_in need_ of something.

"…Or…do you want…_more?_"

Sephiroth waited for a moment, lengthening a space that he knew Cloud would not use to answer him…but then something came over him and he couldn't bear to allow that space to exist any longer. He pulled Cloud into his arms, pressing his lips to Cloud's half-open mouth. He felt Cloud's hands place themselves on his back and slide upwards, tighter, but in an innocent, purely romantic way, cradling his body as though it was precious.

It took a few all-too-short minutes for Sephiroth to pull back for air. Cloud's eyelids fluttered back up, dazed, looking up at his dear angel with not desire, but an awe and rapture that Sephiroth had never seen before directed at him. He'd seen it between Aerith and Zack…in the way Tifa used to daydream about Cloud before she died in his world…but never toward him. He'd felt like an outsider when he'd seen it before, knowing no one would ever look at him that way. And yet…here was Cloud. And that look…was meant for him. Only him.

He pressed his nose alongside Cloud's, pressing a hand to his cheek, stroking it. Cloud's eyes quivered shut once more as he leaned closer.

"…I…don't mind," he whispered.

"…Don't mind what?" Sephiroth asked, taken by surprise now that the context had entirely disappeared.

"…You're the only one I want," Cloud explained, his voice trembling now not from fear…but from emotion. "So…I don't mind…."

Sephiroth pulled back only far enough that he could get a good look at Cloud's face. It seemed as though he was sure of himself now…quite sure.

"I…I think…it's okay to be selfish…just this once," Cloud continued. "When I saved the world…I saved nothing for myself. I destroyed what would make me real…so I could hold on to what was right. But…now that I'm here…even though it seems like it should be wrong…it isn't. This is all I ever wanted…."

Sephiroth seemed to understand…even though Cloud was rambling just a little. He put a finger to Cloud's lips. Now that he knew what he wanted…there was only one thing left.

He was going to give Cloud the happiness that the world had denied him. And Cloud would grant him his own.

* * *

The more psychotic variation of the pair lay under a tree on the warm earth, one decently battered, reclining in a pile of rags that used to be his clothes, and the other enveloping him, equally bare but twice as magnificent…but at least Sephiroth's garments were mostly in one piece a few feet away. Cloud was covered in wounds, bruises, and friction burns, but he didn't seem to mind so much. As far as he was concerned, he had just been ravaged by the most sexual, most powerful man to exist on the Planet. He could deal with a few scars.

Sephiroth lifted his body up with only his arms, keeping his hips planted firmly where they were. Cloud's eyes fluttered up into the curtain of silver that had come about them. He heard his lover speak. "…Enough for you?"

"Not nearly," Cloud sighed, but in a tone that said he was entirely satisfied…for now. "Maybe if you do that more often…I can make do with only one lifetime of it."

Sephiroth scoffed a little, running a hand through his hair to pull it over to one side. It wasn't entirely cooperative, considering its length, in a situation like this. "When did you learn to talk dirty?"

"When did you learn to fuck that hard?" Cloud countered.

Sephiroth thought about it. "I suppose…it's a lot like torture and murder, but…while using your body as a weapon. And there's so much more pleasure. Almost better than slaughtering the fools."

"…Have you always thought about it that way?"

"…No," he admitted. "It's just with you."

Cloud blinked. "M…me?"

"…As much as I loved tormenting you before…this gives me no end of enjoyment," Sephrioth explained. "The high I already feel around you increases tenfold and I want to kill and caress and torment you all at once…and you _let_ me…." He basked in that knowledge for a moment. "…My slave…you'll let me do whatever I want to you. You _beg_ me for it. I thought I would enjoy it more when you protested, but…. Why? What made you act this way?"

"I don't have much of a choice," Cloud told him, reaching up with one hand to caress his face. "You don't give me much choice."

"Mmm…I don't recall ever commanding you."

"You don't have to," Cloud insisted, smitten in a twisted sort of way.

Sephiroth seemed pleased with that answer, his curled smirk creeping up on his lips. He broke that expression, bearing down on Cloud to kiss him once more. Cloud pulled him close, only to sigh, needy still, as the lips pulled away. "I wish…we could just stay like this," he whispered.

"Why can't we…?"

Cloud was…mildly shocked by that statement. "I mean…stay here. Like this, just lying here…."

"Yes…?"

"Well…we have to go find Mother!"

"She can't die. Mother will still be there when we return, no matter how long we take," Sephiroth assured him. "We have all the time in the world. It's the others who have to rush to stop us. We can take our time."

"But…don't you want to see the Promised Land…?"

Sephiroth thought about it for a few minutes. Truth be told, while they were like this, all their glorious goals seemed to…pale. Cloud thought the same thing, but he couldn't believe that his hero would. They said nothing for what seemed like such a very long time….

"…I don't need the Promised Land," Sephiroth finally answered. "I will find it for Mother…but…."

The rest of that thought was never spoken. But it didn't need to be…they never had to say a word. It was entirely, unconditionally, understood.

* * *

Vincent paled a little—was that possible?—at the door as he heard the growls from inside. Vincent S.—that is, the Vincent of Sephiroth's world—was inside getting his replacement arm and leg attached. Rufus said they would give him steel limbs instead of brass ones so that they could tell the two apart. Vincent S. was also getting a new set of clothes, blue in color, for the purposes of differentiation from Vincent C. Even though the two Vincents were rarely in one room together, the number of times they showed up side by side in conversation was becoming astounding and all too confusing. Thus, the initials made their way in, as per Yuffie's suggestion, and they would take on different looks. Essentially, they would be living like twin brothers. That was going to be difficult to get used to, since they were both effectively loners, and yet would be drawn together—and lumped together—naturally.

Vincent C. cringed a little at the sounds he heard, but waited patiently for ShinRa's men to finish in there. As soon as they came out, he went in to see his twin. He looked a little better now, other than the sweating and paleness from the sheer pain of attaching his nerves individually to the metallic parts. He knew he had never been one for anesthetics, himself. He hated status ailments and drugs worse than he hated pain. And that was mostly ShinRa's fault. But they were also the only ones that could make metal limbs of the caliber Vincent S. would need…and he was technically working for them now. Damn contract.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, mostly as a formality. He could see damn well how he was feeling.

"You know damn well how I'm feeling," Vincent S. growled. Well…perhaps they were more alike than they originally realized. "You've been through this before."

"Is getting a leg any different from getting an arm?" Vincent C. looked down at the shiny, new steel and glanced down at his tarnished arm. Well…he _thought_ he'd been keeping his claw clean, but in comparison, it looked pretty shabby. It _was_ thirty-three years old. He made a mental note to polish it.

"It's…a little more awkward than the arm," Vincent S. admitted. "But it almost makes the arm easier. Or maybe that's only because the arm's been ripped off before."

"It looks good," Vincent C. offered.

Vincent S. sighed. "I appreciate you trying to comfort me."

"But…?"

"…What's the status on our mission?"

Vincent C. nodded, knowing he'd also be more concerned about Genesis, impatient to get back into the fight, even after that. Also…it was a nice distraction from the pain. "Still no sign of him. Either he's in damn good hiding, or we're all blind. Yuffie has all of Wutai on the lookout, Cid's charting the skies for any sign of a black wing, and ShinRa is caking the Planet with spies. If he so much as sneezes, we'll know where he is. Or we should. We still don't know why he's hesitating."

"What's different about our world than other worlds?"

"Hm? Ah…." Of course, being the same person, the first thing he thought of was exactly what Vincent S. was thinking of. "You think…that's it?"

"Cloud found a way to our world just like Genesis found a way into other worlds. Obviously, no one in Genesis's own world figured it out before he did, otherwise the Rufus in the tape would have mentioned that."

"That's true…." Vincent C. agreed. "Do you think it has something to do with the fact that Cloud found a point of convergence?"

"It might be troubling him. It seems Genesis only found a way into new worlds _after_ he'd absorbed the Lifestream. Cloud did it on his own."

"So…does that mean he knows Cloud can defeat him? Or just that he's curious?"

"…Could be either." Vincent S. swallowed hard. "In a way, I hope it's the former…so that we _can_ defeat him." A grave look came over his face. "But…I also hope it isn't."

Vincent C. realized what he meant in a moment. "...Because if that's true…."

"...Let's hope Cloud finds his weakness…before Genesis finds Cloud."

* * *

Sephiroth wished he could convey to Cloud just how weak he made him feel…in a good way. A very good way. He'd always felt that love of any kind was little more than a weakness…and he couldn't be more grateful to know that it was…and to keep it with him always.

He laid his dear, heroic love down on the soft bed in the room in Kalm. Slowly, but surely, all the thousands of buckles strapped across Cloud's body came undone, latches opened by leather fingers. The cuckoo clock kept ticking, but they ignored it.

Cloud shuddered as the knitted shirt slipped off his back, over his head. But before letting Sephiroth at his waist, he held up a hand and reached up to start relieving the general of some of his useless straps and buckles. The shoulder pads went first, then the straps crisscrossing his chest, then the rest of it…piece by piece until they both laid there in only their pants, their bodies warm with the anticipation and the resonating passion between them.

Only one thing left.

Sephiroth climbed up so that he was almost straddling Cloud and leaned down to kiss him, shadowing him with thousands of slivers of white hair. Cloud's hands lifted up to Sephiroth's chest, feeling the subtle curvatures of his muscles and the firmness of his flesh. The tighter his fingers clung to his skin, the deeper Sephiroth's mouth delved into his lips. Seamlessly, out of thin air, Cloud felt Sephiroth's hips press into the fork of his legs and, taken by surprise, gasped, gripping harder. From this proximity…it was starting to become obvious just what he was in for. He could _feel_ it. And, of course, he'd expected something…more _substantial _than normal…but…even so, he'd underestimated….

Sephiroth started to develop a steady rhythm, pulsing into him, moving harmoniously with Cloud. Every gentle thrust made him more and more aware of his manhood…how solid it was becoming…how close they were…just a few thin layers of leather…that was all that was keeping them from coming closer than ever before. He reached down to release Cloud from his bindings, even as he kissed him, pulling down that last bit of clothing by the belt loops.

Before they knew it, the last shred of barrier was gone, lying tossed away and forgotten on the floor somewhere. Cloud moaned louder now, feeling the strange smoothness of Sephiroth's flawless skin…with all the scars he'd sustained over the years, was that kind of perfection even possible?

Sephiroth reached down to grip him where he knew he would love it most. Fingering, caressing, squeezing, keeping a pulse up and kissing on any piece of skin he could find as he did so…Cloud moaned as his touch, arching his back into Sephiroth's hand, feeling himself losing control. Sephiroth smiled…he could tell he was making Cloud very happy…very needy. That pleased him to no end.

"Mmm…no…that's not enough," the one-winged angel whispered softly.

"H-huh…?"

"Back up…."

Cloud did so, not sure of what Sephiroth was getting at, scooching backwards into the headboard. He started to worry a little when Sephiroth didn't crawl up to follow him, but then…. "You deserve better than that," he spoke tenderly to Cloud…just as he relinquished the ability to speak.

Cloud gasped as he felt Sephiroth's mouth close around him. So warm…and wet…and tight…! He moaned more audibly, bordering on sobs, almost unable to take the immense ecstasy of that touch. As Sephiroth nipped him, Cloud struggled to breathe…as he sucked, Cloud whined and tightened his legs closed on Sephiroth's jaw. Sephiroth pulled him in as far as he could, slipping back only momentarily, only to come forward again, taking him in deeper…it was all Cloud could do to keep from making too much noise.

Sephiroth pressed his tongue in and dragged it across Cloud's entire length as he lifted up his gaze. Cloud relaxed slightly, but couldn't do so entirely. He looked up desperately at the man he loved, covered in sweat, desperate to be taken and marked. Sephiroth was only too happy to grant that wish.

After a brief preparation, Sephiroth pulled Cloud's legs a little more spread. "…Are you ready?"

Cloud looked up at him. "F-for what?"

"You know what comes next."

His partner flushed. "Y-yeah…" he muttered. "I'm alright."

"But…I might hurt you," Sephiroth mentioned softly, in a more serious tone.

"Well…that's what cure materia is for," Cloud rebutted jokingly.

"Cloud…" Sephiroth growled disapprovingly…but his willpower was wavering terribly.

"Sephiroth…!" Cloud complained. He showed another painfully desperate look. "…Please. I can't wait any longer. Don't be afraid…."

Sephiroth almost laughed at the irony of that statement…he should have been the one telling Cloud not to fear…he was on top, in control, and Cloud was going to be the one getting the physical brunt of all this. "…I'm not afraid."

"…Then stop hesitating and do it!"

Sephiroth looked up, sensing the challenge in Cloud's voice. "Very well. You asked for it." Cloud nodded quickly. Oh, yes he did. He _begged _for it. "…I'll…try to be gentle," Sephiroth added.

Cloud shook his head. "Don't be."

That set Sephiroth off. Permission to really tear Cloud up…even though his conscience and his love were strong, they couldn't overpower his desires for something so twisted at that moment. He grabbed hold of Cloud's body and slid in slowly, drawing more noise out of Cloud the further he went…enjoying every moment of it. Once he was in as far as he could go…he began. He started thrusting, in and out, never fully out, but always far enough that he could stab back into Cloud's body. Now Cloud was screaming, screams that sent a rush through Sephiroth's veins, that spurred him to thrust harder, to pound his love in as hard as he could, if only to hear him scream out his name.

And he did…but Cloud never once screamed for him to stop. He moved with Sephiroth, losing control of his own body, surrendering it completely to the will of the one-winged angel.

For just a moment in time, there were not two people in that room. There was a single being, a single conjoined heart bound by love, a single body bound by desire. A single rhythmic movement, a single harmony of existence. No force of this world or any other world could tear them apart.

Not even time. Not even death.

* * *

Reno did a double take out the window of his helicopter, but…he decided that he was just seeing things. All this stuff about Sephiroth and Genesis and alternate worlds was getting to him. It was just a pair of large black birds courting each other or fighting over a mate or something.

In truth, Sephiroth and Cloud had been chasing each other in flight for a few hours now, dipping, diving, in and out of clouds, up towards the sun, then down, skimming the edges of each of their single black wings into the sea. Each trying to one-up the other in crazy stunts, or flying by only long enough to stroke the other's face with soft, feathery fingers…they had no time for or even the slightest interest in causing havoc, chaos, and mayhem.

At last, Sephiroth leapt on his little psychotic lover and the two went flying towards the ground. With a single wing flap to soften their fall, they went tumbling across the rolling hills of the plains, coming to a halt somewhere near the base of a mountain, one on top of the other. Sephiroth leaned down and licked Cloud's neck thouroughly. The little blonde just cackled and pushed him away.

"Sephiroth!! Cut it out!"

"But you enjoy it." Sephiroth got up off of him, folding up his wing. Black feathers danced around them in masses. It was a wonder they had any left to fly with after shedding so much.

"I do," Cloud admitted, not bothering to get up. "But do you?"

Sephiroth turned away, not quite feeling mushy enough to admit that. He was still a destroyer of worlds, after all. "It's amusing."

"Oh, admit it! You're just as attached to me as I am to you!"

"I believe it is _you_ who are desperate for my companionship," Sephiroth corrected. "I simply humor you."

"If you were humoring me, you'd already be halfway to Mother by now."

"And you would be right beside me."

"Well…yes…but I like it better this way. And so do you…you said so yourself."

"Did I…?"

"Of course you did. You were the one who suggested this."

"I don't recall."

"Sephiroth!" Cloud whined. He sighed a little, smiling as Sephiroth turned away. He knew his love was only playing with him. After all, screwing with Cloud was what Sephiroth did best….

"Let's go back to Midgar."

"Huh? Midgar?" Cloud blinked a little. "Why would you want to go there? Didn't you destroy it like I did?"

"Yes. But…there was a church there that I don't think was entirely destroyed. I thought it was special to you."

"Huh…? It was?"

"We should go see it at least once. If only to finish the job."

Cloud raised his eyebrows, smiling a little. "Well…if you say so. It's a promise, then."

Sephiroth laughed lightly. "A promise, eh?" He'd also promised Mother he'd reach the Promised Land…but he'd never really gotten there. Of course, it wasn't too late to create a land like that. But they had all the time in the world…and Sephiroth was planning on taking it.

Cloud reached up to catch one last feather, twirling it in his fingers fondly. Sephiroth's feather. Probably. It might have been his own, but he preferred to think of it as Sephiroth's….

Wait…another floating down? And another? But it had been at least a few minutes since they had landed…that wasn't right…there should have been no more feathers floating around. Physics denied it. Even…if physics had been constantly battered, attacked, and denied existence since SOLDIER came along. He looked up to see where they were coming from.

"…Sephiroth…" he whispered, his eyes widening a little at what he saw.

"What is it?" Sephiroth turned around, sensing the disturbance in Cloud's voice. He followed Cloud's eyes, frowning, not quite understanding what could make him look so…_shocked_…but then realized—flew towards him—

A few seconds later, and Cloud might have been impaled.

Masamune clashed with Genesis's Rapier as the red-coated angel came crashing down from the heavens. The force of Sephiroth's impact as he leapt to intercept him sent them both flying off at an angle, away from Cloud. Cloud pulled out his own blade, leaping into the fray against Genesis, but something told him…they couldn't defeat him.

They had, all of them, attempted to absorb the Lifestream in the hopes that it would make them invincible. The difference was that although Genesis was outnumbered and was up against two of the most powerful men of any reality…he had succeeded.

All at once, Genesis flew up behind Cloud and spun at him, throwing him backward, skidding across the land and into the earth. But just as it seemed he wouldn't be able to dodge the next blow, Sephiroth flew up again into Genesis's face, unleashing a flurry of blows, keeping Genesis on the defensive at a distance with the length of his blade. As soon as Genesis found an opening, however, he'd countered and was coming at Sephiroth again full force….

Cloud got up once more to return to battle, but as he looked up, he saw the intensity. He flew forward, closing the distance in less than a second, but somehow that second stretched. Masamune flew out…Rapier parried…Rapier circled…Sephiroth lost momentum….

Warm blood sprayed across Cloud's face.

"_SEPHIROOOOOOOTH!!"_

* * *

Cloud's eyes shot open and he sat up suddenly.

"What is it…?"

Cloud blinked a few times and looked over at Sephiroth, laying beside him, still sane, still the one he loved…. "I…don't know. I just got this really…bad chill…."

"…A dream?"

"No…I don't think so." Cloud sighed. "If it was…I can't remember it." He laid back down and turned towards Sephiroth. He never thought he'd see that kind of concern in the general's eyes…that is, to the untrained eye, the face would have just been a blank stare. But Cloud could see the tenderness behind the rough outside. He couldn't always…but he knew Sephiroth well after all these years. It was there, no matter what anyone else said. "…Don't worry about it."

Sephiroth didn't reply immediately. "Are you alright?"

"I said don't worry…." Cloud fidgeted. "That's not like you…."

Sephiroth's mouth twitched a little, almost into a smile. "You're right. But it's mostly your doing."

"What? _My_ doing?"

"After letting you slip away so many times only to come to this point…perhaps I've become paranoid and overprotective," Sephiroth admitted. As a general rule, he liked to take good care of his things. Masamune was still in top condition after all those years, as was his armor…and Cloud belonged to him now, too. Cloud was more important than the general's material possessions, of course, but he still belonged to him. He wasn't going to coddle Strife, but he wouldn't let him fall prey to something like sickness or ill mental health. That would just be ridiculous. Especially for the savior of the world.

"Yeah…?" Cloud smiled a little, knowing the thought process just by looking. "I guess that's okay, then…."

Cloud laid there with him for a little longer and then got up, stretching out. Sephiroth sat up behind him. "Oh…hey, Sephiroth…" Cloud mentioned, turning towards him. "…There's…a place I wanted to show you…since it probably didn't mean anything to you before you came here…I wanted to take you there."

Sephiroth watched him…but didn't ask too much. "Alright." If Cloud wanted to, that was fine with him. "Being a little resolute, aren't we? That's not like you." he teased.

Cloud smiled a little. "Your fault."

"Is it?"

A nod came in response. "You make me feel like I can take on the world."

A small laugh parted Sephiroth's lips for only a moment. "Huh," he marveled, a smile threatening his stoic face. "I wonder why."

* * *

The two left that morning, ignoring the odd stares from the innkeep. Even Fenrir wasn't quite as fast as Sephiroth's flight, but it kept up rather well, considering. Sephiroth just ducked to the side every now and then to allow Cloud to catch up. He would have just carried Cloud…but according to him, this place was a little far, and he didn't want to strain his wing. If they met Genesis, he was going to need it.

Which was why Sephiroth was flying so low to the ground…so as not to be spotted from afar. He didn't mind it if the general population found out about his existence and started panicking so much as he minded having to fight off Genesis again. One thing Cloud had mentioned about this place was that he could more easily speak to his Aerith—er, Aeris—from there. As she was part of the Lifestream now, she might have some answers about Genesis and how they might defeat him.

As such, he almost didn't notice the figure on ground level who looked so dejected and distraught…and so familiar. He frowned and ducked down low enough that he was right in front of Cloud, and then veered off to the left. Cloud got the message and leaned his weight to turn the bike after him, unsure of what he'd seen.

But as they came closer, he understood a little. It was…himself. Well…not himself, but the psychotic Cloud that Sephiroth had fought in his world. And he was carrying…Kadaj? And sobbing? But why…?

Sephiroth touched down lightly and approached cautiously. Psycho-Cloud's head jerked up, hopeful…but then his face twisted into a deeper anguish. He tore out his oversized blade and lashed out at Sephiroth with a painful cry, miles inaccurate, and Sephiroth merely hopped backwards to dodge what might have been a critical blow. Psycho-Cloud was not in any mental condition to be picking a fight with them….

"_Leave me alone!!_" he cried at them. "_Leave me!!_" He sobbed, clutching Kadaj to his body. "I don't _want_ you!! Why?! _Why, why, why?!?!_"

Sephiroth and his lover exchanged confused glances, but they couldn't make heads or tails of the behavior. This Cloud was insane normally, yes, but he wasn't…_incoherent._ Something must have happened to him…but…they had lost track of him at the same time as loosing track of Genesis. They couldn't even begin to guess what was wrong.

That Cloud shuddered, dropping to his knees, and began to calm a little, clinging to Kadaj, though he was no longer the one he loved. And then…he began to laugh. It chilled the heroes' spines, forcing them to unwittingly step backward. "…You…you can't possibly imagine…this pain," he hissed. "But…you _will_."

He stood up, dragging Kadaj with him more loosely…limply. "You can't possibly imagine…the torment…. You don't know real pain, even if you've lost before…because you've never even _had_ to begin with. But once you _have—!!_" He cackled uncontrollably, his entire body quivering. And suddenly, he wheeled around, pointing a finger at his other self, a wild look in his eyes. "_You!!_"

Sephiroth ran forward to protect his love if he needed to, but Psycho-Cloud didn't make another move. "You…" he continued in the same creepy moan, more quietly, "He'll come for _you_ next…and you can run, you can hide, all you want…but you can't stop it…."

He turned away, stalking away, dragging Kadaj's body along behind him.

"I thought…we had all the time we wanted," he lamented, sobbing again. "But we….

"…It's still…ticking."

His voice trailed away as the distance widened, leaving Sephiroth and his love behind….

"…Ticking…."

* * *

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"What do you think…?" Vincent S. growled irritably. He was sick of everyone worrying about him, especially Vincent C. He, of all people, should know very well how he felt and should know that he was going to lend them his combat strength, even if he was slightly weakened. Even in this state, he was more powerful and more skilled than the average fighter.

"You're a liability," Vincent C. reminded him.

"I'm as good as under-leveled. I'll be fine," Vincent S. insisted.

"There it is now!" Cid called back from the head of the Sierra. "Yeah…he ain't here no more. But this is where the readings were comin' from."

Vincent C. approached him, followed by the rest of the party, looking down at the patch of land from up in the airship. The wounds in the earth confirmed the theory…Genesis had been here…and judging by the problems he had apparently had in actually landing his blows, either Cloud, Sephiroth, or both had probably been there, too.

They took the ship down to look around a bit, but found very little besides what they could see from the sky. Vincent was hoping that they could at least figure out which direction they went in from the direction of the battle signs, but…it looked like they'd been all over the place.

"If you was Genesis, what wouldya do?" Cid asked the two Vincents.

They both glanced up. They had no idea between the two of them. They hadn't really known the guy.

"Probably try to kill one or both of them, and probably succeed…" Vincent S. grumbled.

"He didn't succeed in killing you," Vincent C. pointed out.

"…Something distracted him," Vincent S. explained. "I'm not sure what it was…between losing two limbs and being ripped apart otherwise, my memory is a little blurry."

"Hey, guys!! Over here!" Yuffie's voice piped up from somewhere to their left. They left the empty place they were searching and followed her voice. "Look!" she called, pointing excitedly, dancing around on her toes.

The three of them slid down the side of a small dent in the Planet left by the shockwave of someone's sword—or the impact of someone's body—and came to take a closer look. Red XIII, Tifa, and Barrett ran up from another part of the wreckage, as well. They all stared at the line of black feathers leading away north….

"…Where the hell are they going…?"

"The Forbidden Capital," the two Vincents said in unison.

"Huh??" Yuffie gasped. "You mean…where Aeris died?"

"But…how do you know that?" Tifa asked. "Why would they go there?"

"If anyone can tell Cloud how to stop Genesis, it's her," Nanaki agreed. "Cloud would know that. So would Genesis."

"So that's where we'll go, too!" Barrett decided. "C'mon! Let's go!"

The others ran back to the Sierra, but the two Vincents lingered for a moment. One looked to the other. "…Is it too late?"

The other one didn't answer.

* * *

Cloud kept sobbing as he dragged Kadaj's body around Edge. He got a lot of stares, still, but he didn't notice them. He was headed for only one place…and that was the only thing that kept him going.

"It's…like I promised," he muttered. "You see? Here it is…the church you talked about. Isn't it…beautiful…?"

He pulled Kadaj through the doors, staining the floor with blood. "I don't know…if you wanted to destroy it or not…did you? Did you want to…?"

He stopped at the little bed of flowers that surrounded the pool in the floor. Another sob escaped.

"Look at it, Sephiroth…." he whined desperately. "Look at it…! Can't you see it…? It's all here, just like it was before…."

He sniffed and looked down at the water, the tears streaming down his face. "…Look…."

Cloud stared for he knew not how long…minutes? Hours? But he lifted Kadaj's body up, walked into the water…and placed it there, allowing it to sink.

"Look…."

He backed up. "I…I kept my promise. We came here…together. Can you…can you see it…?"

He turned away. "Sephiroth?" He started to walk out then, slowly. "Sephiroth…?" he called, his mind completely gone. "…Sephiroth? Where are you? I can't see you….

"Sephiroth…?"

And away he walked, into the world, not knowing what had happened in his absence. Not knowing that Aeris's healing rain had filled the pool in the church, and now filled Kadaj's body….

"Sephiroth? Where are you? Where did you go…?

"…I can't see you…."

* * *

The sparkling white trees of the Icicle Area filled Cloud with a kind of dread…but Sephiroth's presence comforted him. He couldn't help but feel they were pressed for time…even though there was no deadline he could think of….

He left Fenrir at the entrance and approached the river slowly. He breathed deeply, trying to gather his thoughts.

"…Cloud?"

He looked back. Sephiroth looked concerned again.

"Uh…it's nothing," he answered. "Just…well, you wouldn't know this…because she's alive…but…." He swallowed hard. "…Aeris…died here."

Sephiroth blinked, suddenly understanding. "Here…?"

Cloud nodded. "…I…I almost killed her myself," he said shakily. "Well…because I was under your control. Well…not you…but…the other you…. Well, not really you at all…."

Sephiroth held up a hand and placed it on Cloud's shoulder to quiet him. That line of thought was painful enough as it was without Cloud exacerbating it. The blonde swallowed a little, understanding Sephiroth's intentions, and nodded, turning back to the river. He walked forward, wading in, and Sephiroth allowed him, giving him a little space.

"…I lowered her into the water here," he explained. "I thought…I would return her there." He shuddered a little, looking up towards the sky, up to where Sephiroth had been before…on that day. It seemed so quiet now. "...She hasn't contacted me in a long time. Before, she'd come and talk to me a lot…but…." He sighed. "I guess…I've found…a corner of peace for myself. I hope she doesn't mind…."

Sephiroth wanted to say something to comfort him…remind him that he has Aerith, and that she never minded that they were together. But…it didn't seem like it was his place.

"…I wanted to talk to her," Cloud explained. "Because she's part of the Lifestream…she might know how we can stop Genesis. I thought it would be easier here…where she's still so close." He closed his eyes tightly. "…I won't let my indecision…cause me to lose anyone else. Not when I've finally found happiness."

Sephiroth blinked at him, silenced by the gravity of his words. Cloud simply turned and smiled at him. "I'll find some way," he told him. "I promise that. I'll find a way to protect that happiness."

He'd only turned away from that place for a moment…but only a moment was necessary. Suddenly, while his eyes were turned to the light, the clock pendulum swung to a halt.

A force hit Cloud from behind, square in the back, pushing him forward. It took only a moment for the pain to rush forward and paralyze him. Sephiroth's face lit up in horror and he called out Cloud's name…but somehow, it sounded muffled to him…distant….

His head dropped a little as his hands reached up to grip the long piece of steel that pierced straight through him. Blood. His vision blurred. There was blood in his mouth. He choked.

Thoughts raced through his head. _This is the same as…. … No, I have to protect it! … Aeris…what are you trying to say to me? … Sephiroth…don't watch this…please…. … I'm not dying…that just…doesn't happen…. … The others…what about them? My friends? … Is this it? The end? … Why couldn't this happen when I wished for it with all my heart?! Why now?! … Is this punishment? … Sephiroth…Sephiroth!_

He raised his head with some difficulty, the sound of his name on his lips, but his knees were going weak and he couldn't breathe for the blood in his throat. The only thing holding him up was the sword in his back…even his fists on it loosened with weakness. Vision blurred and darkened. Was Sephiroth rushing forward…? He couldn't see…. A blur….

The sword slipped out and Cloud's body fell forward into Sephiroth's arms.

* * *

"I'm gettin' a helluvah fucking reading from there…you were damn right, Vincent! Uh…both of ya!" Cid called back.

A dull rumble echoed from the ground and a glow sparked up from one area of the frozen wood. The others blanched. "He's here alright…" Barrett confirmed grimly.

"…Hey, isn't that place…?" Yuffie asked, but Cid cut her off.

"Come on! Let's go! Move, _move!_"

The seven of them essentially jumped ship, Cid parking the Sierra in hover mode. Genesis was here, and likely fighting Cloud…. Tifa, in particular, ran as fast as she could. Sephiroth was probably there, too…and if anything happened to Cloud…anything at all…. _God, you idiot! Why would you bring Sephiroth, of all people, to a place like this?!_ Cloud was betraying all they had ever worked for…all because he had some sick fantasy about being with the man who had murdered everyone in his life….

The rumbles died off, as did the glows. Something shot off into the skies, but it was impossible to see what it was in that light. They pressed on quickly, coming at length to the part in the trees…to the river….

Sephiroth stayed at Cloud's side, leaning over him, staring into his face. There was no flutter behind Cloud's eyelids…no subtle rise and fall of his chest. No gentle shiver at Sephiroth's touch.

But he refused to step across that threshold…to breach the gap in his understanding. Still pretending he didn't understand what Genesis had done to his Cloud. His heart had frozen up, bracing against the threat of the hardest fall he had yet to face…but it didn't start up again long enough to feel the pain. His body had hardened into stone…his existence numbed.

His eyes didn't even rise at the approach of hurried footsteps. He leaned on Masamune for support, though it was covered in blood…he'd planted it firmly into the banks before him. He'd managed to gouge a hole in Genesis's body, but it wasn't enough. It would never be enough…. It meant nothing.

The group that had come to rescue them had arrived too late. They stood before a familiar scene, silenced. But…it was Cloud. Cloud had never…he _would_ never….

Tifa's breath quickened, her eyes darting between the trees, Cloud, the bloodied Masamune, the gaping wound in his body…. "Y-you…" she breathed, quivering with rage.

Vincent C. turned to her, realizing what she was thinking. He couldn't help but think it himself…but Genesis…. "Tifa…!"

"You…_what did you do to Cloud!?_"

She sprinted forward, clenching her fists to deal her own murder out…but Vincent S. dashed in front of her, the only one of them who had no lingering memories and no suspicions of his own. Whose sole purpose had been for the last three years to protect his son…who had fought against Cloud before. He threw up his new silver claw to block the blows that she then turned on him. "_Get out of my way!_" she screamed at him. "_Murderer!!_"

Sephiroth did not turn his eyes up even now, while all of Cloud's happiness fell apart around him. Their time had come to an abrupt end. And still…he could not feel for the world that would wither away and buckle to destruction without him. He had saved the world so many times…only to have his own ripped away. It was like Cloud had said…. And he was tired. The world, the things that Tifa and Vincent fought for, fought over…their meaning was quickly fading.

Tifa eventually broke free of Vincent S. as the others watched, unable to choose a side, and ran at Sephiroth, flailing her fist into his face, unblocked. Sephiroth staggered backwards into the water, still unaware of the world around him, as she unleashed her punishment on him and then was once more dragged back by his father. She screamed meaningless words at him and wailed as a light sniffling started to break through from Yuffie behind her. And still, Sephiroth did not react.

Cloud's body still lay lifeless on the banks of the river. The rest of the world, as far as he was concerned, lay with him.

And it was at that moment that Cloud opened his eyes.

* * *

_**ballad**__ 1) a love song, based on an often tragic love story.  
_

**: End Chapter XIV :**

Ending Notes: **DON'T GO YET—I'M NOT DONE!!** This is NOT the end! I'm very, very, _very_ anti-unhappy-ending, so take my word for it when I say this is not the end and EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY. You notice I saved the worst cliffhanger for the most fulfilling chapter as far as fangirl-ness, hehe! I mean…intentional? What do you mean, intentional? It wasn't intentional! What's intentional? I do not know the meaning of this word….

And…wow. Long chapter is looooooong. Good thing I decided to split this up a little between this chapter and the last one….

Foster's rule of literature that a sex scene will never end up sounding good in words does not apply to fan fiction. So there.

Buckle your seatbelts, guys…because things are about to get trippy. Trippier than two Vincents and two Clouds and two Sephiroths and three different worlds and people dying and putting their body parts back together and all of that? Yes. How is that possible? You will see when we get there.


	15. Theme and Variation

**Recommended Listening:** Mia's theme from the .hack// PS2 game soundtrack. It's a bit strange….

Disclaimer: So now that I've thoroughly depressed you all, I'm going to now throw a Molotov cocktail into the inner workings of the space-time continuum. I'll try to give you some comic relief to balance things a bit. And by "some," I mean…. Well, this chapter is pretty much more fun and games than the others. It's still very necessary, though, and I guess you could say it represents an inner journey in Cloud's self.

Oh, by the way…I just saw the Star Trek movie!! It was AMAZING! And…if I said it didn't give me any fodder for my alternate-reality-screwing-up…I'd be lying, hehe!

* * *

_Down the rabbit hole again…wait. This wasn't the rabbit hole. Did it change? Since when was it upside-down? Since when was the White Rabbit black and the Mad Hatter sane and the March Hare April and Knights knaves and Queens pawns and Card Soldiers talking flowers? Why was the Griffon a Mock Turtle and the Mock Turtle a Doormouse and the Doormouse a Caterpillar and the Caterpillar a clam? And Alice…what was Alice now? Was she even herself? Was this even Wonderland?_

_More importantly…how did she get home?_

**Chapter XV : Theme and Variation**

**- Theme -**

He was lying in a field of flowers.

_The Lifestream…? But…that means I'm…NO!!_

He sat bolt upright, looking around wildly. He looked down at himself…no wound…and yet, this place felt more real than it usually did when Aeris contacted him…. "No…." He grabbed hold of the wild locks of blonde hair on the side of his head, horrified. _Sephiroth…!!!_

"Cloud!"

He wheeled around at the sound of his name to see Aeris standing there, looking surprised at his arrival. He looked up at her…and then beat his fist into the ground, cringing against his tears. Normally, he would be all too happy to see her…but that was before, when he hadn't wanted his miserable life. Now that he could look at her straight on…he didn't want to. _It's not fair…!!_

"Cloud…what are you doing here?" she asked honestly, her melodious voice filling the silent air. She skipped over to him, kneeling down to him, conking her head to one side. Her chestnut braid slipped over her shoulders to dangle in front of his eyes.

"…I'm dead."

"Dead?" Aeris blinked. "Well…yes, but…you're here."

"And Sephiroth is alive, and Genesis is going to kill everyone!" he cried, throwing his head up to the perfect sky. "…I failed them…_again!_"

Aeris looked confused for a moment…and then her face lit up with recognition. "Oh! I see…I was mistaken…" she lamented. She put a hand to his forehead. "Hm…but you didn't fail. This is your first time. And you're still conscious…so…it's not really failure, yet…though it does seem hopeless." She shook her head. "It's so strange…such an extraordinary power. But here, you can only exist within me…."

"Wh…what?" Cloud looked back to her. "What are you talking about…?"

"The power to jump realities. You must have left your body behind in order to evade death…."

Cloud shook his head a little, blinking. "Wha…eh…evade death?" he stuttered. "Uh…but I'm here…in the Lifestream."

"This isn't the Lifestream, silly!" Aeris laughed.

Cloud looked around. No…it was just an endless field of flowers. Just like the ones in the church. Just like he remembered it. "…Are you sure? Wait…then how are you here? Are you Aerith? Or Aeris?"

"I think you called me Aeris," she confirmed.

"…You think…?"

"Well…I don't really know you."

"Huh?!" Now this was going over Cloud's head. What was going on? Was he dead, or wasn't he? Was this Aeris, or wasn't it?!

"Don't you understand?" Aeris asked. "This isn't your reality."

Cloud blinked. "Wh…what?!" He looked around. "You mean…I…somehow jumped realities…so I'm alive now?"

"Oh, no," Aeris shook her head, brushing him off to correct him. "You're still dead."

Cloud reeled, scrambling backwards and getting up. "W-w-wait a second…then how am I here…?! Wait…no…don't answer that…just…." He tried to catch his breath and calm himself down. "…Y…you seem to know what's going on…."

"Pretty much. I'm omniscient, after all."

"Oh, really?" Cloud normally would take that as a joke…but at this point, he was ready to believe anything. "That's great. Can you tell me what just happened to me, then? Last thing I remember is being stabbed by Genesis…dying…."

"Hm…." Aeris thought about it. "Well…you did die…but at the last second, before your soul was taken into the Lifestream, you jumped realities. Since you're also dead in this reality, you're essentially a ghost, living within the Lifestream of this reality."

"But…you said I wasn't in the Lifestream."

"No I didn't," Aeris denied innocently. "I said _this_ wasn't the Lifestream."

"Then…how can I be living in it…?"

"Because it's right here." Aeris put a hand to her heart. "You exist within me…the last of the Cetra."

Cloud blinked…and then nodded slowly. He could believe that. "But then…how do I get back? Genesis is still in my world…the others can't fight him alone. Heck, I can't fight him, either…but I've got to do something!"

Aeris looked at him with a little sadness in her eyes. "Well…I guess you can't always be a different person."

"…Huh?" Cloud took a step back. What did she mean by that…? What was with that look…?

She looked back up and smiled. "Why don't you go reality-hopping and figure out how to help? There must be some world somewhere with an answer."

"Huh…? Reality-hopping? But…I don't know how…."

"Sure you do! It's your power," Aeris reminded him. "All you have to do is wish for it. Close your eyes!"

Cloud nodded…and closed his eyes. _Wish for it? Well…I…I guess I wish…to go to another reality. Maybe a reality where I've found happiness…and a reality where I can find Aeris…so even if I'm dead, I'll be able to speak to someone…._

* * *

**- Variation I –**

He felt gravity shift. He was lying down somewhere. Smooth lips pressed to his.

_Sephiroth…._ Cloud let a soft moan escape and kissed back in relief, keeping his eyes closed. He felt a comfortable bed underneath him. This…was nice. This was very nice. He smelled fresh flowers….

A hand slipped up over his bare chest, and a body shifted towards him. It was…lighter than he expected it to be. And the hand…was….

…_Female?!_

Cloud opened his eyes to stare up into Aeris's face.

He yelped, causing Aeris to blink and jump back in surprise. And she was…. _Holy shit! She's…she's naked! Holy shit, __**I'm**__naked!! Did we—no way! No fucking way!! _He scrambled away and fell off the opposite side of the bed, his legs flailing up into the air. He pulled one of the under-sheets off and onto his waist in a panic. His pants…where were his pants?!

"Cloud…?" Aeris asked with concern. "What's wrong…?"

"Wha…!" Cloud breathed, exasperated, "What's wrong…?! You don't see anything wrong with this?!" He got up, trying not to look…well, anywhere, really…. His pants…. "C-could you…put something on?" he begged, trying to keep his eyes anywhere but on her…but it was likely that wasn't an issue at this point….

"Um…sure…." She stood up and Cloud turned around, seeing as how she apparently wasn't worried about showing her body to him. His face flushed. Even though he was very much attracted to Sephiroth and in love with only him, that didn't mean he wasn't….

Speaking of…other lovers…. "Wh…what about Zack?"

Aeris came around to Cloud's side of the bed, wearing a nightgown now, her hair all down over her shoulders. Gods, she was beautiful. "…What about him, Cloud?"

"W-well…you're…you're _together,_ aren't you? You don't think he'd be…_upset_ about this? At _all?_"

A depressing look came over Aeris's face. "Cloud…we've talked about this. I know…it's hard, but…I'm with you now." She took his hand gently, her tone and her mannerisms as comforting as ever…but….

Cloud blanched. "Y-you _are?_" Was it just him, or did his voice just crack?

"W-well…yes," Aeris answered, nodding. "…You're my husband. For better or worse, 'til death do us part. And…Zack is _gone_."

Cloud stared at her open-mouthed. "…_What?_" He wasn't sure which part was more shocking.

"Oh, Cloud…." Her eyes filled with sympathy and she came closer, wrapping her arms around his bare body before he could protest. "I'm sorry…I know it's hard…I know how close you were. But…is it so wrong that we could come together to find happiness? I'm sure he's happy for us…he loved both of us so much…and we loved him, too. It's okay…."

"W-wait…wait…" Cloud interrupted her, something just occurring to him. "…The two Vincents…where are they?"

She frowned, confused. "…_Two_ Vincents?"

"Right…it's got to be. I'm not in my own world. If you don't know about them, then…I must be in another reality."

Aeris's frown grew a little more upset, like his words had hurt her. "Cloud…!"

"N-no…really…look…I…I'm not…the guy you married. I'm…someone different. I don't mean I changed, I mean…literally! My soul comes from another world! Please…Aeris…you've got to believe me…!"

Aeris stepped back. At first, she'd looked even more upset, but now…it looked like she might actually have a chance of believing what he was saying. "…What did you call me?"

"Aeris…." He blinked. "Wait…is your name Aerith? Or Aeris?"

She shook her head. "It's…Aeryl."

"Aeryl!" Cloud's eyes widened. "Wow…so now you have _three_ different names. You have a different one in every reality I go to, it seems like…."

"…Your soul…does feel different," Aeryl admitted slowly. "I can sense…almost like there are two souls…." Her face was turning more towards surprise and wonder now than being upset. _Oh, good…she's starting to really take my story…I guess it's hard to believe, but if anyone could understand, it'd be her…._

"Well…see...in my reality…I'm actually dead, so…I guess I don't have my own body anymore…."

"Oh!" Aeryl gasped. "Then…do you think…that's it! That's got to be! When you came here, you came into my husband's body because you don't have your own…and that's why there are two souls! There's yours…and then there's his…. Oh!!" She covered her mouth. "I'm…I'm so sorry! You must feel so…awkward…uh…hold on! I'll get you something to put on…!"

"Th-thank you…" Cloud sighed in utter relief. He wondered a little, though, if Aeryl was used to ghosts possessing her friends' bodies. She was taking this rather well, considering it was such a tall tale…perhaps she was just that good at sensing people's spirits….

Aeryl handed him some pants and he turned around quickly while he put them on. Well, that was a relief. Now…. "Why did I wake up in your husband's body again? Just because I don't have my own body?"

"Well…sure. This body is the closest thing to your own, right? In this world, I mean. So it's only natural that your soul would come here." She sat down. "…What happened to yours?"

"Uh…." He could open up a can of worms by telling her the whole story, or…. "…It's complicated, but…I got killed by Genesis…who somehow managed to absorb the Lifestream and become all-powerful. Now all my friends are stuck back in my world…and…I have to find a way to help them before he destroys everything." He turned to her. "You don't happen to know how to stop someone who's pretty much become a god with the powers of the Lifestream at his fingertips, do you?"

Aeryl looked apologetic. "I…have no idea. I'm sorry. But…I'm sure there's something out there somewhere…if you keep looking."

"Yeah…in other worlds." He sighed. But where should he look?

"Maybe…you should try to look in other places," Aeryl suggested. "Not just places that are very close to your own reality. They may have a different take on how things worked out…different stories, different timelines…. Maybe one of them defeated a similar enemy."

"Broaden my search, huh?" Cloud sighed. "Maybe that's the best way." He looked back to her. "Thank you…and…I'm sorry. For…all this trouble."

"It's alright," she assured him with a smile. "You'd be surprised how often strange things happen around here. You're not the weirdest thing that's ever happened to me." So he was right…no wonder she'd accepted it so readily.

"Uh…right. I guess I'll give you back your husband, then.

She nodded. "Alright. Goodbye, then, Cloud! And good luck!"

* * *

**- Variation II -**

Cloud opened his eyes. Well…this was certainly different.

He was in a town that looked like it was a few centuries behind the times…and wearing clothes that looked pretty similarly outdated. Hell, there were even knights in full suits of armor walking around! Incredible…especially one in particular, who walked down the street towards a castle up on the hill…his silver hair trailing out behind him….

"S-Sephiroth!!"

Cloud tried to catch up with him, but the crowd was thick and Sephiroth was towing quite a guard behind him. A few people waved and sent salutations Cloud's way…others "oo"-ed and "ah"-ed at the passing of the great general to the queen. Wait…queen? What queen?

And then…he passed beyond the castle gates, out of Cloud's view.

He groaned. "Aw, man…." And looked down on himself. He was carrying a one-handed saber…definitely not a real weapon, just a self-defense, street fight kind of thing…it'd be like Vincent or Barrett carrying a tiny pistol. He also didn't feel so well-endowed in the strength department…like he'd been suddenly de-leveled. And he couldn't find anything on his person that might get him access to the castle grounds…there was an expensive-looking pendant tucked under his shirt, but he had no idea what the crest on it meant. It might mean he was part of the resistance to the monarchy, for all he knew.

So…he was going to have to sneak in to get a talk with his love. If…Sephiroth was still the same person as he was in Cloud's world.

He wandered around the castle walls for a little while until he saw a cherry tree that hung over the wall slightly. "That'll do…." He jumped up into it, but found that physics actually affected him in this body…it wasn't mako-enhanced, or anything…and he had a hard time pulling himself up higher into the branches, too. He cursed as he found his chest heaving from just that much work. His hands were unnaturally soft, too. What…had this version of him never done a day's work in his life?

He crawled over as far as he could, but the branches didn't quite reach far enough for him to grab onto the wall. Normally, he could just jump and probably clear the wall from the ground in a single leap, but this body was a piece of crap. Really, it was.

"H-hey! Sephiroth! Genesis and her majesty wanted to—" Zack's unmistakable voice flooded up over the wall. "O-oh…you already found them. Nevermind…."

Genesis? He was there? Cloud decided to screw the "climb over the wall" plan and just climbed higher into the tree. And there they were, sure enough…Genesis in a ridiculously flashy war costume, Sephiroth and Zack in the same make of armor, and Aeris sitting among them in a beautiful garden wearing a long, pink, silk dress and a golden headdress….

"My lady," Sephiroth said, kneeling down before her, taking her hand and kissing a ring on her finger. Now _that_ was something you didn't see every day…and something about it was…_beautiful_.

"Your majesty," Zack addressed her, taking her hand also, but kissing it more tenderly as he bowed…. So, he was in love with her in this strange reality, too. That was reassuring, somehow….

_Wait…Aeris?! Aeris is the queen?!_

"General Sephiroth," Genesis said with a light laugh…with dark undertones. "I had a small matter I wanted to discuss with you."

"Oh…?" Sephiroth looked unamused…even irritated. Apparently, Genesis was a troublemaker here, too, even if he wasn't bad enough to be an enemy in her majesty's court.

"We have a reason to go to war! Isn't it wonderful?"

"Wonderful?!" Zack spat. "You've got a lousy sense of humor! Cut it out, already!"

"What happened?" Sephiroth asked, keeping his cool, and cutting off Zack before he lost his.

"Avalancia has been stealing our national treasures! I saw one of their court wearing the Cetra Crest…_unmistakeably_. The sacred pendant handed down in _our_ royal family for generations."

"One of their court?" Aeris asked with a slight gasp. She looked immediately to Sephiroth, who wore an equally confused and disturbed expression. Genesis was looking straight at Sephiroth…suspiciously. Cloud had a feeling there was more meaning to this conversation than he was getting.

"Now…Sephiroth…do you have _any_ idea how they might _possibly_ have gotten their hands on such a trinket? I know her majesty used to wear it _all_ the time. She didn't happen to _entrust_ it to you, did she?" Genesis asked scathingly.

"Genesis, that accusation is—" Aeris started to protest, but Sephiroth held up a hand.

"She did entrust it to me," he confirmed, not allowing Aeris to take the fall for him, or even protect him. "But if it fell into the hands of the Avalancian monarchy, it was not stolen from us."

"So you mean you _gave_ away that treasure to our enemies?" Genesis accused once more.

"Not to an enemy. To one specified and trusted by the royal court of this kingdom. I will speak to that person on its loss." Even though he spoke coolly, Sephiroth was bothered by Genesis's words…Cloud could tell, even from that distance. There was something else going on….

"That person wouldn't happen to be Prince Cloud Strife Avalancios, would it?" Genesis hissed at Sephiroth, growing more aggressive now.

At that, Sephiroth took a step back, his stoic expression breaking into shock. "…Who…did you say?"

And…so did Cloud's. _I'm…a prince? _He looked down at himself. He didn't feel like a prince. These clothes weren't nearly as ridiculous as the ones Aeris's royal court was wearing….

"That's right! Prince Cloud, Jenova's son. Apparently, she _does_ have an heir. She's very good at keeping him a secret," Genesis sneered. "And apparently…so are _you,_ traitor!"

_Wait…I'm Jenova's son?! Since when?!_

"A spy!" someone called behind Cloud. He looked over to see a guard pointing at him from outside the wall, watching him eavesdrop on the royals. "You there! You're under arrest!!"

"_Shit…!_"

He leapt down out of the tree and made a run for it. If he really was an enemy prince in this reality, it wasn't a good idea to be caught by the guard…not at all!

But…wait…this wasn't his problem. Obviously, Genesis, Sephiroth, and himself were all…somewhat sane. None of them had ever absorbed the Lifestream. Did they even have a Lifestream here? So in other words, this reality was…entirely useless for his purposes.

_Sorry, other me…I have to hurry up and find what I really need. I hope you escape! Good luck!_

* * *

**- Variation III -**

Alright…so that trip had been entirely useless. He couldn't just broaden his search and stumble upon entirely _dissimilar_ realities…he had to refine it, while still not ruling out any one type of reality…realities that were nothing like his own, yes, but realities where the world was in a similar situation. Realities where they had some idea as to how to defeat that kind of enemy, or realities that had already done it. He focused his energy on that, being careful not to rule any reality out that was a possibility, yet still narrowing it to his search for Genesis's weakness, and opened his eyes again.

He was dressed in a white suit, sitting at a desk in an office. An office that looked…strangely familiar. There was a knock at the door. Cloud hesitated for a moment before clearing his throat and calling, "Come in!" hoping desperately that he was supposed to be sitting there.

The door opened and in came…wait…did he know this guy…? He was dressed in a black suit…clean, shaved, with long black hair tied back at the nape of his neck and a pretty face with sharp features and dark, reddish eyes. A Turk, he looked like. The only thing that seemed really out of place about him was the brass claw hand that peeked out of—

_Holy SHIT!_ Cloud realized, nearly choking on his own saliva. _That's __**Vincent!**_

"Mr. President…we have word from the…." Vincent frowned at him, noticing the look on his face. "Ah…President Strife?"

The look on Cloud's face shifted considerably, his jaw dropping as he looked down at himself, realizing—the white suit!—he had switched places with Rufus ShinRa! And…that did it. He burst out laughing.

Vincent looked down on him distastefully. "…Sir…? Is there…a problem?"

"N-no! No problem! No problem at all! W-well…actually…I did want to know something. Maybe you might know this." Cloud tried to stop laughing at Vincent's new look…and at his own irresponsibly granted power…and focus on the task at hand. "Say that…hypothetically…someone very powerful like Sephiroth or Genesis tried to absorb the Lifestream and destroy the world. How would we stop them, then?"

Vincent stared at him awkwardly. "Ah…I'm…not certain, sir." Oh, and Cloud found the fact that Vincent called him "sir" absolutely hilarious. Vincent had to clear his throat to make his president stop giggling. "May I ask why you would want to know such a thing? And why you would ever think of it?"

"Oh…well…it's important to plan ahead. And…I heard from our…uh…_intelligence_…that such a…_development_…might be something we'll have to protect against in the future." Cloud was trying to be careful to sound "president-like," but it wasn't really his thing. Who the hell elected him to lead the company?

"I…wasn't informed." Vincent cleared his throat again. "But…we have intruders in the building, sir. We're almost certain it's that AVALANCHE group. Please stop laughing, sir. This is very serious," Vincent urged him, now starting to become slightly annoyed. "They've broken through our security."

"Oh, well…let's go meet them," Cloud said once he'd recovered himself again.

"…_Meet_ them, sir?" Vincent looked as though he'd just swallowed something disgusting. "_Why?_"

"I want to talk to them. Bring the other T-Turks, too," he ordered, stifling another laugh. If his suspicions were true….

…And, they were. The other Turks were members of AVALANCHE. That probably meant that the members of AVALANCHE were the Turks. This was _awesome!_ If only he had a….

"Hey…Vincent…do you have a camera?" The Turk handed one over, as per his president's orders, however grudgingly. Cloud smirked a little. "I hope I can bring this with me…probably not, but I want to take them anyway."

Tifa looked particularly excellent in her suit…apparently, they didn't make suits small enough for the rest of her body with compensation for her chest size. She had to wear it open. Aeris…did not suit a suit at all. She looked much better in a little pink dress, no matter how tiny that little black tie was. Barrett looked particularly awkward, his muscles and gun arm bursting out, while Nanaki…oh, Nanaki replaced Rufus's dog! What was that mutt's name again?

"Are you done now, sir?" Vincent growled just as Cloud snapped one last shot of him. "We have more pressing matters to attend to."

"Er…yeah. I-I'm done. Let's go."

He went down a few floors with his fellow ShinRa members—well, he supposed now it was Strife Corporation, wasn't it?—to meet the members of the rebel group. And once again…he proved himself correct.

Rufus Shinra stepped forward, flanked by Tseng, Elena, Reno, and Rude. He wore a SOLDIER uniform…carried a big sword…sported a pair of quite bright mako-blue eyes….

"Cloud Strife! We've come to take you down, and your corporation with you!" he declared.

"For the good of the Planet!" Tseng chimed in, brandishing his own weapon.

"Yeah, for the good o' the Planet, yo—hey…why are you laughing?! Cut out the evil cacklin', yo! You think you're gonna get away with this?!" Cloud kept laughing. Reno just grew more angry. "Hey! You think you can take us on?! You don't know _nothin_', yo! If you was from where I was from…you'd be _dead!_"

Vincent took Cloud's arm. "Mr. President…may I speak with you a moment?" He dragged Cloud aside whilst the Turks and AVALANCHE threw insults at each other. "With all due respect, sir…are you on _drugs?_ Laughing gas? Acid?" he hissed. "Do I need to relieve you?"

"N-no…that's not it…I'm fine…trust me…please, Vincent…I just need to ask them something, and then you can beat the crap out of them if you want…."

Vincent still wasn't happy, but allowed Cloud to return. He took a few deep breaths. "Rufus…members of AVALANCHE…I need to ask you a question. Let's say that someone very powerful like Sephiroth or Genesis tried to absorb the Lifestream and destroy the world. Th-this is all hypothetical…just saying. What could we do to stop them? If you had all the resources on the Planet and all the technology and everything you needed?"

Rufus blinked and looked to the others. "Uh…what exactly does absorbing the Lifestream _do_ to someone?"

"Well…it makes them able to put their body back together even if they're beheaded and levels them up sevenfold, essentially," Cloud explained.

Horror crossed over the faces of the members of AVALANCHE. "H-how would someone _do_ something like that?" Elena asked in a panic.

"Uh…well, by drawing a METEOR to the Planet and putting a wound in it…and then taking the Lifestream into his body when it gathered at that place to heal the Planet up," Cloud rattled off from his memory. The others stared at him. "Well? Any ideas?"

"Who the hell would be crazy enough to do that, yo?"

"Sephiroth…." Rufus muttered grimly. He shook his head. "I don't know. I guess at that point, she'd be unstoppable. We'd have to prevent it from happening somehow…that'd be the only way…."

Which was imposible…unless you could go back in time. Genesis had already obtained that kind of power.

But…there was something about what they said just then…. "She?" Cloud asked. "As in…Jenova?"

"Jenova?" Rufus asked. "Who is Jenova? What's she got to do with anything?"

"Sir…" Vincent growled. Apparently, AVALANCHE hadn't stumbled on Jenova's secret yet….

"Wait…you guys don't know who Jenova is? Then who is 'she'…?" Cloud wondered aloud…before his confusion was cut short. Sephiroth walked in the room.

A lithe figure…the same leather trenchcoat…the same shoulderpads…the same Masamune…but…something was…decidedly different about him….

_Breasts…?! Sephiroth is a __**chick?!**_

A few of the ShinRa soldiers guarding the room that had been focused on AVALANCHE turned their attention to her. She simply walked up, that insane look in her eyes, her head rolling slightly. Rufus blinked and jumped forward. "Sephiroth!"

Sephiroth rolled her head over. "Who…are you?" Definitely a woman's voice. A beautiful voice, but….

"Sephiroth! It's me! Rufus ShinRa! Don't you remember me?!"

Cloud's mouth was still open wide as his eyes as he lifted the camera, stunned, and snapped a picture. _Please give me the power to take this camera with me._ He turned to Vincent. "Alright…look. We leave AVALANCHE to deal with him. Er…her! But we need to evacuate the building before everyone is slaughtered."

"…Sir, I'll provide for your safety, but I assure you, our forces are fully capable of—"

"No. They're not. Trust me. I've seen the future." Cloud sighed. "Of course, in a few moments, I won't remember any of this and I won't think this is funny, either. Just count it as an encounter with destiny and the Lifestream. Get me out of here, Vincent."

Vincent blinked a few times, confused, still not quite getting what was going on. "…Yes, sir…" he managed to reply, just before Cloud lost all sense of and presence in that world.

* * *

**- Interlude -**

Cloud opened his eyes again before he was quite ready to pass into the next reality and found himself in a strange…void. There was very little color, and yet it was abounding with color…no life, and yet all life, all existence there at the same time. There was no actual definition of the space…like he was floating in a cloud of…well, everything.

"Am I…between realities?"

The sound didn't echo, as he expected it to in the empty expanse. He looked around some more. What a strange place…. _Well…I guess I can think about my options a little while I'm here._

In the first reality, Aeris's flower world, he'd learned to use his powers. In the second, he'd learned to focus. In the third, he learned that the only way to stop someone like Genesis might be to prevent him from getting his power in the first place. But that was impossible now. It had already happened.

He looked down into his hands and saw he hadn't been able to take the camera with him. Damn. So that wasn't part of his powers…taking things with him across realities. Or…maybe he couldn't bring it with him just because he didn't have a physical form of his own…after all, he'd been able to take his clothes and his sword before. He would probably need a body anyway if he was going to fight Genesis.

Maybe he could just drag Genesis into another reality and strand him there? That would be something…but then that reality would be trashed, too. What about a reality without any life? But, then…Genesis could travel between realities as he liked, as well. It'd be all too easy for him to escape…not like Vincent S. and Sephiroth, who were pretty much stuck in whatever world they happened to be in or stumble onto.

Whatever he did, he needed a new body first. But he was dead. The only thing would be…maybe finding a version of himself in another world who was willing to share one. But who would that be? Where would he find someone like that?

"Where are you…?" a voice called out of the void. "I…I can't see you…."

Cloud blinked. It wasn't a voice he recognized…was it? But it seemed so familiar…like he'd heard it so many times before. He stood up. "…I'm over here!" he called into the emptiness. "Follow my voice!"

It didn't answer at first. "…You're not Sephiroth," it whispered dejectedly…but Cloud heard it loud and clear.

"…No…I'm not," he admitted. "But I'm trying to find him. I'm trying to save him."

A figure started to form on the far side of the void. Someone stepped out…and for a second, Cloud wondered if he was seeing things…it was himself! But then, that was pretty normal when you were hopping across alternate universes, wasn't it?

But, no…it wasn't just another version of himself…it was his psychotic self from Sephiroth's reality! Wing, crazy eyes, and all! What was he doing in a place like this?

"…I can't find him," Psycho-Cloud whimpered. "He's gone…."

"…He's not gone yet…" Hero-Cloud tried to say, but the other one cut him off.

"_Your_ Sephiroth isn't gone!" he sobbed. "_You_ still have a chance for happiness!" His body shuddered as tears streamed down his face. "How _could _you?!"

Hero-Cloud wasn't sure what to say…his name, maybe? "Cloud…." It felt odd to be saying his own name to comfort someone else…but this whole situation wasn't exactly canon. He actually felt sorry for his other self…despite the fact that he was a lunatic….

Psycho-Cloud's crying calmed to sniffling and shaking, but no words passed between them. The place in which they stood shifted and contorted, realities changing and swirling about them, but they stood suspended in no man's land, free of time and space. Literally nowhere. Finally, at some length, Psycho-Cloud spoke again…softly. "…I wanted to find you."

"Huh?" Hero-Cloud blinked a little. "You…wanted to?" He'd just given him the impression that he was jealous and angry about sane Sephiroth being alive and well….

"…I know…I can't be with Sephiroth." Psycho-Cloud drew in breath harshly, trying to take control of his breaking heart and his breaking body. He swallowed his tears and lifted his head up a little, eyes still drowning in sadness…but no longer in water. "…I know I'll never be with him. My Sephiroth is gone. He was never meant to live."

Hero-Cloud watched him, unsure of what to say once again. What would he want someone to say to him if their places were swapped? What could _anyone_ say that would make him feel any better? He couldn't remember anything from anyone….

"…So…I don't care anymore. There's no meaning to life without him. It's as empty…as this place is. And full, too…because Sephiroth is still alive…but not my Sephiroth." He closed his eyes gently…painfully. "He's your Sephiroth…but you can't be with him, either…because you're dead now. Your life can't be empty…it doesn't even exist."

That realization struck sane Cloud suddenly. He…couldn't be with Sephiroth again? That was right…he was still dead, whatever way he looked at it. No matter what, he was still just a ghost wandering around, avoiding the Lifestream. Would he…would he _never_ see Sephiroth again? His heart sunk in his chest, a sudden clench coming into his throat. He was just as bad off as his other self was…never to return to the one he loved….

"That's why…I want you…to take this body."

Hero-Cloud blinked and stared up at Psycho-Cloud. Had…the evil version of him just said that? What did he mean, "take his body"?

Psycho-Cloud opened his eyes and looked right into those of his other self. "Neither of us can be with him any other way," he explained sadly. "It'll be like dying for me…but I don't care. I don't want to die, but I don't want to live, either. This way…I can do both. I'll disappear…I'll stop the pain…but I'll still live. And I'll be with Sephiroth."

Hero-Cloud's mouth dropped open slightly. "Cloud…!" he gasped. How was this possible…this kind of compassion from someone who was always so…_evil?_ Was this really what he wanted? To give up his life for an enemy's romance? Was such a moving action something that this version of himself could take…self-sacrificial, for the sake of another?

"I always thought finding Mother was so important…but I'm sure…there's another world somewhere where I kept my promise to her. What's important in this reality isn't any of that. Even if that bastard does what she wants…he still took Sephiroth away from me. I can't forgive him for that." Psycho-Cloud walked towards his other slowly. "…So you have to take this form…and find a way to stop him. Somehow. You _have_ to. I can come here, but I can't go to other worlds like you can at will. Only you can do that.

"You're the only one who can avenge him…and find happiness for the both of us."

Hero-Cloud stared a little longer…and then nodded slowly, coming forward. "I…I understand," he answered, struck speechless by his actions. "…I'll find a way. I promise. I won't stop until I do."

A muscle near Psycho-Cloud's mouth twitched into something of a smile as they came together. "I know. Don't forget…I know you better than you know yourself."

"Is that even possible…?" Hero-Cloud asked.

Psycho-Cloud shook his head. "Not really. It's a paradox."

* * *

**- Variation IV –**

Cloud opened his eyes in a side-road in Edge. Alright…looked pretty normal. Maybe….

…Was he back in his own world?

He felt his body a little bit to make sure he was solid. Yeah…definitely in one piece…and he could feel something in his shoulder. Was that…had the wing come with the body?

Just to make sure he didn't look like as much of a psychopath as his other self did, Cloud ducked around to a parked car and looked into the rearview mirror. Yeah…his eyes were okay now…not quite as dark and sunken-in as his other self had been. That was good, at least…but now…. Should he go find his group and tell them that he was okay? Or should he try to dodge Genesis and take him by surprise?

Cloud saw a small boy run up in the mirror behind him, but he couldn't make him out clearly. He looked back.

A young silver-haired boy stood there. He looked oddly familiar…but Cloud couldn't quite place it. His hair was cut very short…but even his eyelashes were silver. It made him look very pretty…those bright green eyes….

Cloud froze up. _…Wait a minute…._

The boy stared back, just as stunned as Cloud was. He looked him over once, and then stared up into his face. "…Cloud?" he asked in a pure, pretty voice, unsullied by either war hardening or insanity. Cloud could hardly believe what he was seeing.

"…Sephiro—?!

"Sephir Angeal Valentine! Get back here _now!_"

Cloud blinked as the boy froze up and spun around to look back. Cloud would recognize Tifa's angry voice anywhere. He ducked quickly down the alleyway and watched. The boy, Sephir, turned back around looked around the alleyway for him, but hadn't seen him dive away.

She wheeled around the corner and saw him, running towards him and taking him roughly by the arm. "What are you thinking, running off like that?!" she scolded him. Cloud gaped…she looked like she'd aged about ten years or more. Worry lines had started to appear at her mouth and her brows. Of course, when he saw the age of the boy, that almost made sense.

"Aunt Tifa!" he complained. "I thought I saw Cloud!"

Tifa froze up, but then scoffed at him and started to drag him back. "Don't be ridiculous!"

"But I did! I saw him!" Sephir looked back, still trying to catch a glimpse of him.

"Cloud is _dead!_" Tifa yelled at him. There was pain all over her face and in her quivering voice.

"You don't know that!" Sephir snapped back, ripping his arm away from her.

"Don't be such a brat! He's dead, and you know it—!!"

"Why do you hate me, Aunt Tifa?!" he demanded of her. She stopped dead in her tracks. "What did I do?! What can I possibly do?! Nothing I do ever makes you happy!!"

Tifa cringed. She looked like she was about to cry. "If you want to make me happy…then bring him back!" she sobbed, and ran from him. Sephir stared after her, dejected and shocked at the impossible task…at the thought that she would blame it on him. Cloud's heart tore at the seams.

Was that…how she was feeling right now…? How Sephiroth was feeling…? Back in his reality?

That settled it, then. When he got back, he would tell them right away. And he had to get back soon. He couldn't just leave them alone. He had to protect them…and be there for them.

That, and he had to make peace between Tifa and Sephiroth. He could understand Tifa's reasons, but he couldn't just leave that alone. He had to talk to her…he couldn't just run away from her like he had before. Come to think of it…that was the last time he'd talked to her…now he felt _really_ bad.

But first thing's first…Genesis. How do you kill a being that can't be killed?

He asked that question of the void of realities…and it spat out a world for him.

* * *

**- Variation V -**

He arrived on a dark city street that looked about as technologically advanced as the world where Aeris had been queen. Well…maybe a little more than that. At least here it looked like they had gas lamps and a few automobiles, if not very many. The streets were still cobblestone and the clothes still outdated…though it looked no more old-fashioned in architecture than, say, Kalm did. Cloud really stuck out in his new body.

He looked up at the night sky and the full moon and heard a howling in the distance. He shuddered a little. Looked like a scene from a horror movie. A dark mansion stood up on the hill overlooking the town…maybe Genesis lived there.

"Cloud? What are you doing down here? And why aren't you wearing your ring or your scarf?" an unfamiliar voice asked from behind him. "You shouldn't be out on a full moon, besides…."

Cloud looked back. The man looked…a little like Zack, in his hairstyle…but other than that, he didn't really recognize the guy. He also looked like a nobleman of some sort. "I…beg your pardon?"

The man looked pleasantly puzzled and approached a little more. And then looked him up and down. "Ah…you're…much taller, aren't you? But you look just like him. Pardon me. I've mistaken you for someone else."

"Uh…no. I uh…I know Cloud," Cloud bluffed.

"Really, now? Are you related?"

"Uh…distantly…but he doesn't know about me, so don't mention it to him," Cloud said quickly.

"Ah…nice to meet you, then. I promise…I won't say a word. I am Lord Angeal of Midgar, by the by. I'm a friend of Cloud's master." He bowed rather than extending his hand. Cloud did so as well…awkwardly. And then realized that Angeal was also expecting a name.

"Uh…I'm…Rayne," Cloud threw out quickly. So…it came in handy again, after all. "Rayne Strife."

"Ah! I see." He smiled. Cloud did a double take. His teeth were…_really_ sharp! "Come…join me for a drink in the tavern, will you? I was going up to see Lord Sephiroth…" he said, nodding to the mansion up on the hill, "…but I'm not brave enough to travel in a moon like this alone. My friend?"

"Uh…sure," Cloud agreed. "I mean…certainly, your lordship." He tried to sound like he fit into the times…and just ended up feeling stupid. Angeal laughed softly…almost like he knew…but he couldn't, could he?

Angeal took him into the tavern in town and took a corner to sit in. Cloud ordered a drink from the bartender, wondering how he was going to pay for it, but Angeal stepped in. "I'll have just water, thank you…and his drink is on me." Cloud blinked at him a little, feeling awkward, but…. "Don't worry about it. I don't actually drink. But trust me…I have more money than I'll ever wish to use. It's prudent of me, then, to show a little kindness to fellow man with the excess, isn't it?"

"Uh…you're…too kind," Cloud attempted awkwardly, sitting with him and taking a sip. He shuddered a little. Compared to Tifa's brew…this crap was awful.

Angeal almost smiled at that. "You see…that's why I don't drink anymore," he joked. "So…Rayne. What brings you to these parts? Have you come in search of your long lost blood? Or is there another purpose?"

"Uh…actually…." Cloud shifted a little. "I'm looking for a way…to stop someone insanely powerful who's going to basically destroy my home if I can't do something about it."

"Oh? So you've come seeking aid? What do you need? Weapons? Men?"

"No…nothing like that…I mean…I have all the resources, it's just…well…." He tried to think of a way to put it. "He…can't be killed."

Angeal frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well…you can stab him and he heals…behead him and he can pick his head back up and reattach it. I know it sounds strange, but…."

"No, no. It's not as strange as you might think," Angeal assured him.

Cloud blinked. "It's not?" Could this be it…? "You mean…you know how to kill someone like that??" he asked hopefully.

"Well…not _like_ that. Even vampires have their weaknesses concerning mortal wounds," Angeal asserted.

"…Vampires…?" Cloud paled a little. "You've seen _vampires?_"

Angeal grinned with his…very…_sharp_…teeth again. "I told you, Rayne. I don't drink alcohol. I prefer a different wine."

Cloud choked and felt some of the bad ale come back up his throat. He gaped at that smile. This guy Angeal was a vampire?! "You notice it's not so wise for me to go wandering about on a full moon," Angeal explained a little more. "Wolves, you know. Ah…but anyway…back to your question…."

"Wait…is…is it okay for you to tell me that?" Cloud asked.

"Well…normally, no. But your young kin knows," he answered. "Besides…you aren't going to be here very long, are you?"

…So he _did_ know. Or at least, he knew _something._ In a world that was weird enough to have vampires and werewolves and other mythical monsters running around in the same place as Sephiroth and himself, he was sure there were a lot of strange things people understood here that they wouldn't in his own world.

"So…what do I do?"

Angeal nodded to him. "Well, first…you're going about it the wrong way. It isn't reasonable to try and kill a man who cannot be killed. However…." He held up a finger. "If you're going to kill a man who is all-powerful…first, you must take away all of his power."

"Take away…his power?" Cloud thought about it. "But…how do I do that…?" It wasn't like he could just pull the other world's Lifestream out of Genesis's body….

"You can't just have good offense and defense. You have to use status to your advantage. That's how you play the game." Angeal shook his head. "But I don't have to lecture _you_ on that, do I?"

"Well…no…I guess not," Cloud agreed. It hadn't occurred to him to think of the Lifestream power as a positive status that could be taken on and off…maybe even blocked. That was all well and good, of course, but…. "Hey…do you know anything about the Lifestream?"

"You mean the next life? I could stand to think about it more, considering I won't be part of it. Monsters aren't generally accepted, it seems. Don't tell me you're some kind of missionary."

Cloud hesitated. "Uh…no…I'm not. In fact…I should be going. Thank you, Angeal…for the info…a-and the drink." Cloud stood up. "You've been a great help."

"Glad to be of service." Angeal gave him a half-salute, half-wave. "Get on with your quest. Perhaps someday, though, you should come and pay Cloud a visit. Preferrably before he's bitten."

Cloud jumped a little and shuddered. "Uh…yes." He suddenly found himself wishing he really did have a scarf, like Angeal had mentioned. He hoped the young—was he young?—aristocrat didn't want him to…uh…return the "drink." "I'll…uh…try to come back soon."

He hurried out and ported away, firmly intending never to return to that world…unless, maybe, it was to rescue himself from the vampires. And he'd thought the feminine Sephiroth was strange.

* * *

**- Variation VI -**

Bearing in mind the information he'd come across through his journeys across worlds, Cloud focused, sifting through different realities until he came across one that seemed very, very similar to his own…but there was something different. More knowledge…more….

Cloud was surprised to find that once he'd focused on a single world, he could…actually pick where he wanted to go. Not surprisingly, he sought out Sephiroth…but he could only do so up to a certain area. For some reason, the area beyond split off and became fuzzy. That was strange…Sephiroth's position was…well, it was almost like he was in many different places at once….

Cloud picked one and opened his eyes, having not been so sure what he was looking at to begin with. He was standing in some kind of facility…a reactor, maybe? Or a base? Something like that. He saw a security camera down the hall, but it wasn't pointed at him.

Footsteps echoed across the steel floor…hurried footsteps. They were lightly trod, but a large person. Cloud reached back to First Tsurugi slowly…except it wasn't First Tsurugi, it was Psycho-Cloud's sword, but it would do just as well…and readied himself for whoever it was….

He rounded the corner. Cloud paused a moment…and then lit up. "Sephiroth!!"

Sephiroth's eyes widened at him, his lips parting slightly in shock. Yeah, watching your dead love appear before your eyes was pretty shocking…until, of course, Cloud remembered that he looked just like his psychotic other self. But…wait…the two selves looked exactly alike. They even wore pretty much the same thing. (Of course, Cloud didn't know this, but his less sane half actually stopped in Edge to borrow the heroic version's clothes. His were a bit…sundered, to say the least.) And without the insane look in his eyes…yeah. They pretty much looked identical.

"…Cloud…?" Sephiroth breathed, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"Yeah! It's me! Ah…it's a long story…but…I'm here now. I promise I'll explain everything." Cloud smiled warmly. He wanted to run to Sephiroth and embrace him…but he wasn't sure what their situation was. Sephiroth was in a hurry for _some_ reason…Cloud hoped he hadn't just dropped in on him in the middle of a battle.

Sephiroth continued to stare at him just as Zack rounded the corner and staggered to a quick, surprised halt. "Whoa! Hey, what is it, Seph—?" He stopped short as he got an eyeful of Cloud. He blinked a few times. "H-hey…weren't you just—?"

Zack pointed a thumb behind him and turned around just as a third member of the party came around. And Cloud felt his stomach cave in.

It was…himself. At the age of _fifteen_. In his _cadet uniform._

_Oh, shit…! I didn't go to another world…!_ Cloud thought quickly, panicking. _I…I went back in time in __**my**__ world!! But how?!_ He looked in between Sephiroth's stare, Zack's gape, and mini-Cloud's shat-himself and tried to calm down. His teenage self was probably firmly convinced that he was on acid and wouldn't remember this when he woke up. Hell, older Cloud was pretty sure he was on some kind of drug after the things he'd seen. Turk Vincent had thought so, too.

"Uh…." Cloud attempted to speak, seeing that they were expecting him to explain. "…Whoops?" Which…he couldn't.

Sephiroth took a step forward. "You're the one…" he said intently, but cryptically.

"H-huh?" Cloud shirked a little.

"H-hold on a second…_that's_ the guy? The one you saw? From the future?!"

Mini-Cloud tried to speak, but his voice wouldn't come. He didn't quite know what to say to something like this. He took the back of Zack's shirt in his hand for support.

Sephiroth nodded to Zack, keeping his eyes on the older Cloud. "What do you want from me…?" he asked non-confrontationally…as though he simply wanted to know. "Are you going to come and kill me?"

Cloud blinked. He…knew about that? But how? "Ah…." Cloud was pretty sure that if he screwed up the past, he'd screw up the present, too. And he couldn't do that. But…well, no…that would defeat the purpose. If he changed the future too much, his Sephiroth might not come to his world…and then he'd lose his happiness anyway….

…But…he'd already screwed up the past anyway just by being here. So why the hell not?

"…Yes," he told Sephiroth honestly. "That is…if things continue as they are." He glanced away, lowering his eyes.

Sephiroth and Zack looked at each other. Mini-Cloud still looked lost. "What do you mean?" the general asked cautiously. "What needs to change?"

"Uh…well, I'd tell you everything…but…there's so much…." Well…there was _one_ thing he could do. Cloud raised his head again and looked Sephiroth in the eyes. "Don't believe anything you read in ShinRa mansion," he warned. "It's all wrong." Should he stop there? Or did he dare to go on? "There are so many lies…you have to find the truth…." But, might that also lead him to Jenova?

"Where do I find the truth? What is it?" Sephiroth demanded of him, coming forward a little more.

Cloud cringed. He was definitely screwing up the timeline…. Where _would_ Sephiroth find the truth…? Who alive would know the flat fact of his existence enough to—

"Vincent!" he gasped.

Sephiroth frowned. "Vincent? Vincent who?"

"Vincent Valentine! He can tell you the truth better than I can." That should do the trick. If Sephiroth could find Vincent, he'd be alright. But…what was going to happen to his future now…? Unless even Vincent couldn't stop it? Or they never found him?

Cloud heard more hurried footsteps down the hall and panicked. No one else could see him…if they did, then…! "One more thing! Sephiroth!"

Sephiroth turned to him. Cloud smiled.

"…You're not a monster. You're…human. Don't ever forget that."

And with those words…Cloud left them alone.

* * *

**- Variation VII -**

Back in Aeris's world of flowers. She seemed to know the depths of his power. He had something to ask her.

"Having fun?" Aeris asked in a more…caustic tone than was usually in character for her.

Cloud blinked, looking back. She didn't look happy. "…Uh…not really. Is something wrong?" She shrugged, but didn't say anything. Cloud reached up and scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "…Um…there was something I wanted to ask you about."

"The time travel, right?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Er…yes…."

"What? You thought you could surf the sixth dimension and not break the fourth?" She picked one of her flowers, twirling it in her fingers.

Cloud had never seen her this…_irritated._ That is…this was _Aeris._ She was _never _angry. What was her _problem?_ "…I'm…afraid I don't understand…all this dimension…time travel…stuff…."

"Of _course _you can move through time! But that doesn't mean you _should_, Cloud. Do you know how much you can mess things up that way?!" She turned to him directly, sending him a glare. Cloud shrank. Aeris was…_frightening_ like this. Since when…?

"Well…I figured…but if I can, then I already have. I already went back in time in my world and screwed things up…."

"That wasn't your reality, Cloud. It was just very similar. All that happens when you go back in time and spur-of-the-moment alter the past is you create another reality that branches off of the one you're in. But your home world is different. You could really _destroy_ things."

"Wh…why would my home world be different?" Cloud shifted uneasily. Aeris was talking about things he really didn't understand….

"I'm not telling you!" Aeris decided, turning away and crossing her arms, pouting.

Cloud frowned, trying to make sense of what she had said. Not his own world?

_Oh…I went to another reality. When I was talking to my cadet self, that wasn't me. That was a different me. But I also traveled through time. So I didn't screw up my timeline…I just changed things in another reality, in the past. So it's all okay._

…_But what happens if I do that in my own world? And why doesn't Aeris want me to know?_

What had he been able to gather from the other realities? Take Genesis's power away. Well that was alright to _say_, but how? The only thing anyone else was able to think of was preventing it before it happened—

Which was imposible…unless you could go back in time.

Aeris whirled around. "I know what you're thinking! And don't you dare do it!" she hissed at him.

"H-huh?" Cloud looked to her. Assuming she _did_ know what he was thinking.... "…Why not?"

"Because, Cloud! It's one thing to alter _one_ timeline for _one_ reality…but do you know how many realities Genesis has affected?! How many his _rising_ to the state of a _demi-god_ has affected? You wouldn't be able to just branch off another reality, because there are multiple realities tied to him! You would create a paradox that would cause our entire plane of existence to collapse!"

Cloud got about…none of that. "So…it would be…bad?"

Aeris groaned in impatience. "_All_ realities _everywhere_ would _end._ _Permanently._"

Cloud blinked. "That's…pretty bad."

"Yes, Cloud! It's bad!" She sighed. "Of course…it won't be the _first_ time you've tried to destroy my dreams."

"Wh….what…?"

She turned away, looking out over her field. "Do you know how hard I had to work to make this place, Cloud?" she asked, her tone becoming more tender…and therefore, more characteristic.

"Uh…well, I imagine it must have taken a long time for you to plant all these…" Cloud observed, looking around.

"Oh…I didn't plant them by hand. I would _never_ have gotten it done." She giggled a little. "I willed them to grow. But the important thing is…." She looked out, around her world. "Listen to that, Cloud…."

He listened. And…. "…I don't hear anything."

She smiled brightly, turning around to face him again. "Exactly! The whole world is quiet…and peaceful. No pain…no sadness. Only peace. The way it was meant to be…." She looked out over it. "It's the Promised Land, Cloud. The garden from which humans were expelled because of their sin. But they weren't really sent away," she explained. "They simply…tainted it with their greed and their malice…turned it into something black and terrible. It was here all along…but…it had disappeared. I brought it back to life, Cloud. You never understood that when you were still here…." She turned away once more. "But…I hope you understand now."

"When I was still…here?" Cloud looked around. "You mean…the entire Planet is…covered in this?"

"Mm-hm."

Oh. So this was another reality, too…another Aeris. _Damn, _there were a lot of them. And this wasn't the Lifestream…this was the Planet. But…there was nothing on it? Nothing but flowers…? Well that was all well and good, but….

"…But…where are the people?"

"What people?" Aeris asked innocently, turning to Cloud again.

Cloud took a step back. A knot was starting to form in his gut…something wasn't right. "I mean…people. Like you and me. Towns. Kids. Where are they?"

"Oh…them," she recognized…dismissively.

"Aeris…?" Cloud's tone became a little more panicked. He hoped his suspicions were wrong…but…. No. Aeris wouldn't. Maybe him, maybe Sephiroth, Genesis, hell, even Zack…but…Aeris…? It wasn't true…!

"People were the ones who destroyed the Promised Land. It was only meant for the Cetra. As the last of the Cetra…I knew I was the only one who could return it. So…."

She smiled. "…I got rid of everything else."

Horror gripped Cloud, and he stumbled backward…away from her. "Y-you mean…you _killed everyone!?_"

Aeris sighed. "You never did agree with me. I did offer you your life…but you wouldn't take it. I still don't understand why you chose death in the land of sorrow over life here in the Promised Land with me…."

"Why?!" Cloud couldn't believe what was coming out of her mouth. Aeris, _destroyer of worlds?!_ How could that be?! "Because it's wrong! It's murder! Sure, people aren't perfect! They fight, they cause trouble, they hurt one another, but that doesn't mean you should _kill_ them all!"

Aeris conked her head at him, unfazed by his distress. "But why else would humans die? If you deserved to live, you'd be immortal…like me."

Cloud's eyes widened. "Wh…what?!"

Aeris's body began to glow and she levitated from the ground. That glow…so similar to the glow that enveloped Genesis when he used his powers. _When Aeris said I existed in the Lifestream…and she said I existed within her…did she mean that…she'd absorbed it into her body as well?!_

"I'm sorry, Cloud…if you're still going to go back in time and prevent Genesis from becoming like me…." She raised a hand and a dreadful, bladed staff formed in it. "I'm going to have to kill you…again. But I'll give you a choice this time, too."

Cloud backed up. He could deal with fighting someone fearsome like Sephiroth…but Aeris…? He could never—!

"What do you choose, Cloud?" Aeris asked. "Even if you run away into other realities, I'll follow you. I have that power. Make your choice."

So there was a chance he would destroy every reality if he stopped Genesis. But there was also a good chance he would save his own.

"I trust you'll make the right choice," she cooed. "So what will it be?"

Cloud looked up at her. It was only a very slim chance. He might be able to take his friends to a different world, but Genesis would follow them just like Aeris would. There was no other way to stop him.

"…Goodbye, Aeris."

He disappeared.

* * *

Cloud opened his eyes and looked around. Midgar…three years ago. The world from which the ill, dying Rufus had sent them the videotape. Midgar was still standing. For now.

His eyes drifted up. A light like a star shone in the sky…but it was too big for that. METEOR.

If Genesis wasn't aware of him enough to come and kill him, Aeris certainly was…as strange as it was to think that way. She was probably hot on his tail by now.

If he could do this, he could save Sephiroth. Sephiroth, Tifa, Zack, his Aeris, both Vincents, Cid, Yuffie, Red XIII, Barrett, Marlene, Denzel…and everyone. He might also destroy them in the paradox.

Midgar was still standing. For now.

The METEOR was coming. The city would fall soon.

And Genesis would fall with it.

* * *

_**theme and variation**__ 1) a musical work in which a simple theme or melody is introduced and then is expanded on in variations, forming sometimes more complex, sometimes entirely different musical explorations that have the same underlying current_

**: End Chapter XV :**

Ending Notes: Yep, I went there. I pulled time travel.

Alright, I had a lot of fun with the random scenarios in this chapter. Like the Rufus-Cloud-switch reality…that was an idea that popped up when I saw the original design for Cloud. Back in the day, Nomura-sama first drew the main character for his new game without those gorgeous bangs and…well, he looked a lot like Rufus ShinRa. That made me giggle, so I decided to do a little something like this. It really helped the creative juices knowing that Vincent was once a Turk, too.

And uh…vampires are…well, they're kinda my thing (Vampire Knight FTW!). Expect a fanfic along those lines somewhere in the future, once this is finished. And distorting Sephiroth's body into funny shapes and sizes is also win.

**EDIT**: I was getting a loooooot of confused comments about this chapter, so I edited it. Now, it should be clear that Cloud hasn't been in his own reality _at all_ this entire time. He's the only character from the other chapters (besides Psycho-Cloud) that returns here in this chapter. All the others are part of their own realities, not Cloud's.


End file.
